Cinnamon Roll Cake

There is something about cinnamon that just captivates us all. It is a very versatile spice that is used for both sweet and savory dishes around the world. It is also used in perfumes and as a digestive medicine. It is an old spice that has been around for 1000’s of years and was considered to be a luxurious spice that was coveted the world over.

Cinnamon is grown in many tropical parts of the world form Southeast Asia to South America. It comes from the several tree species in the Cinnamomum genus. Here are some fun facts about cinnamon that are certainly new to me, and I be they are to you too.

• Cinnamon doesn’t have a sweet taste but does amplify the sweetness in other ingredients.
• The better quality cinnamons are more breakable (fragile).
• The average cinnamon tree grows to 60 feet in height.
• Cinnamon acts as a natural preservative.
• Cinnamon sticks are also called quills.
• Just smelling the wonderful odor of cinnamon boosts brain activity.

So now that we all know a little more about cinnamon, it it is easy to see why it is such a popular spice, used in every culture around the world.

I use a lot of cinnamon. Mostly I use it in the European/American way, which is for sweets, cakes and cookies. Although I also use it a lot in different ethnic savory foods, such as when I am cooking Indian, or Thai or Middle Eastern dishes. This time I used it to make a cinnamon roll cake. Yep, it’s cinnamon rolls without the roll, and made like a cake instead. This is a much less time consuming way to make it since you are not using yeast, and the cake does not need any proofing time.

Once again, these were a big hit and were gone in an instant. Poor Larry. He loves cinnamon rolls and cakes, and he only got to try a little bit. I didn’t save any for him. But, he got more than I did. As usual, I make all these treats but rarely get a chance to have any myself, since I wait until everyone else has had their fill, which usually means there are none leftover for me. That’s OK though. I certainly DON’T need the additional calories and I can enjoy them vicariously through everyone else. 🙂

Cinnamon Roll Cake

Preheat the oven to 350* F or 190* C.

Spay a 9×13 baking sheet with cooking spray.

The Cake

1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup or 2 sticks softened butter

2 eggs

1 cup milk

2 tsp vanilla

3 cups flour

3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

Combine all the dry ingredients and set set aside.

Mix the sugar and butter together until creamy, then add the eggs and beat in between each addition. Add the vanilla. Add 1/2 the flour and milk and mix, then repeat until it is all mixed together.

Spread the batter out evenly in the prepared pan.

The Filling

4 TBSP melted butter

1 cup brown sugar

2-4 tsp cinnamon – of course I used the 4

4 TBSP flour

4 TBSP water

1 cup chopped nuts – I used pecans, but you can use whatever type of nuts you like.

Combine everything together until it forms into a thick paste. Then spread evenly on top of the cake batter.

Bake for about 40 minutes or until the cake is set and a toothpick that is inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Let the cake cool a little, but you want it to still be warm when you add the frosting on top.

The Frosting

2 cups powdered sugar

2 TBSP melted butter

1 tsp vanilla

3-4 TBSP milk

Mix everything together until it is well blended and all the sugar has dissolved. Spread the frosting evenly over the cake and slice it up to share.

You can serve it warm or at room temperature. Either way, it will disappear in no time. In this case, much to Larry’s dismay. He was so hoping there would be some leftover. 🙂

Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.