Snickerdoodle Cake
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Snickerdoodle cake is a delicious layered cinnamon cake iced with brown sugar cream cheese frosting and topped with cinnamon and sugar!
This easy snickerdoodle cake recipe will be the talk of your party! Layers of cinnamon cake with homemade cinnamon frosting will make everyone ask for seconds. Serve it after a yummy meal of chili cornbread casserole or upside down pizza.
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Snickerdoodle Cake
Snickerdoodle Cake
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Why you’ll love this cinnamon snickerdoodle cake recipe!
📌 All the flavor of your favorite snickerdoodle cookie baked into a cake!
📌 Easy to make by starting with yellow cake mix.
📌 Looks and tastes like it came straight from the bakery.
Snickerdoodle Cake Ingredients
- Cake mix – Yellow cake mix (not prepared).
- Egg – Large eggs.
- Milk – Whole milk is best but 2% or fat free can be substituted.
- Butter – My preference is salted butter, but you can also use unsalted.
- Sugar – Light brown sugar.
- Cinnamon – Ground cinnamon.
- Brown sugar cream cheese frosting – Butter, cream cheese, brown sugar, cinnamon, powdered sugar.
- Toppings – White granulated sugar, cinnamon, cinnamon cereal.
How do you make a snickerdoodle layer cake? (step-by-step directions)
⭐ First, in a large mixing bowl combine the cake mix, milk, butter and eggs. Whisk until smooth and all combined. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
⭐ Next, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar across the top of the cakes and swirl through. Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean; transfer to a wire rack.
⭐ Then, in a large mixing bowl whip the butter, cream cheese, brown sugar and cinnamon together until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar in small increments. Continue to whip until light and fluffy.
⭐ Finally, frost and layer each cake. Frost the sides and top, finishing with cinnamon sugar mixture, piped decorations, and cinnamon cereal.
Scroll down to the printable recipe card toward the bottom of this article for ingredient measurements and detailed cooking instructions.
Preparation
Can you make snicker doodle cake ahead of time?
Absolutely, in fact baking the cakes a day or two ahead and allowing them to chill in the refrigerator before icing is ideal for making sure the icing sits nicely on the cake.
You can also bake and ice ahead a day ahead if you’d like, just make sure the cake stays cool enough that the icing won’t wilt.
How do I keep my cake from sticking?
You’ll want to line or grease your cake pans. Don’t skip this step! For the absolute best results, brush the pans with our homemade cake release. It’s a million times better than cooking spray!
What frosting for snickerdoodle cake?
We use a simple homemade brown sugar cream cheese frosting, but it would also be delicious with this homemade cream cheese frosting.
If you’re making it during the holidays try our pumpkin spiced cream cheese frosting or eggnog icing.
Leftovers and storage
Do you have to refrigerate snickerdoodle cake?
We recommend storing this cake in the refrigerator because the frosting uses cream cheese (dairy).
How long does snickerdoodle cake last?
The cake will keep about two days at room temperature (make sure it’s a cool dry room and the cake is covered), up to a week in the refrigerator, or longer in the freezer.
Can you freeze cake?
You can freeze cake! Yay! Ideally you’ll want to freeze the cake unfrosted. Allow it to cool completely, then freeze in an airtight freezer safe container or bag, with parchment paper between the layers.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then frost as desired.
If freezing leftovers after frosting, store in a freezer safe tupperware container, separating slices with parchment paper.
Baking variations
Cupcakes
This will make 36 cupcakes, fill each cupcake well about half to three quarters full. Bake 20 – 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Frost after cupcakes have cooled completely.
Single layer cake
Use one cake mix, 1 cup of milk, 1 cup melted butter and 4 eggs. Pour into a greased or lined 9×13 baking dish and bake for 30 – 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool and then frost.
Sheet pan cake
Spread batter evenly into a greased half sheet sheet pan and bake for 20 – 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool before frosting.
Bundt Cake
Pour batter into a large prepped bundt pan and bake for 45 – 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for several minutes, then turn out and allow to continue cooling before icing.
What to eat with snickerdoodle cake (serving suggestions)
Serve this after a yummy dinner of caprese chicken, cheesy hashbrown casserole, or our tuna casserole recipe.
More delicious cake recipes
- Lemon poke cake
- S’more’s ice box cake
- Pineapple bundt cake
- Texas sheet cake
- Pumpkin bundt cake
- See all our yummy cake recipes!
Other awesome cinnamon recipes
Tools we love
- Twin Pack Round Cake Pan, 8-Inch – Standard fare for making a two layer cake! Also good for small batch casseroles and cinnamon buns!
- Porcelain Round Cake Stand – What does a beautiful cake need? Well a pretty white cake stand to show off on!
- Tall Cake Dome – There’s nothing worse than finishing a gorgeous layered cake and then having to way to protect it. This tall cake dome fixes all that. And I love that it’s clear so you can still see your cake.
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How to Make a Snickerdoodle Cake
Snickerdoodle Cake
Ingredients
CAKE
- 2 boxes yellow cake mix (about 15 ounces each), NOT prepared
- 8 large eggs
- 2 cups whole milk (16 ounces)
- 4 sticks butter (2 cups), melted
- 1/4 cup brown sugar divided
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pan release
FROSTING
- 3 sticks unsalted butter (1½cups) softened
- 1 block cream cheese (8 ounces), softened
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 pounds powdered sugar
TOPPING
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup white granulated sugar
- 1 cup cinnamon/sugar cereal optional
Instructions
CAKE
- Preheat oven to 350 ℉. Prepare three 8 inch cake pans with pan release (or butter and flour).
- In a large mixing bowl combine the 2 powdered cake mixes, milk, butter and eggs. Whisk until smooth and combined. Pour the batter evenly between the 3 pans.
- In a separate bowl, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar across the top of the cakes and swirl through.
- Bake cakes on center oven rack for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow the cakes cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then turn out onto wire cooling racks.
FROSTING
- While the cakes are cooling, whip the butter, cream cheese, brown sugar and cinnamon together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar a little bit at a time.
- When the sugar is fully incorporated, continue to whip the frosting for an additional 5-7 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Place a cooled cake layer onto your serving plate. Generously frost the top, then add the next layer and repeat. Top with the final cake layer and frost the sides and top evenly. (Optional: reserve some frosting to pipe around the edges).
TOPPING
- Mix the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle all over the top. Decorate with cinnamon cereal and piping, if desired.
Notes
- Cupcakes: This will make 36 cupcakes, fill each cupcake well about half to three quarters full. Bake 20 – 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Frost after cupcakes have cooled completely.
- Single layer cake: Use one cake mix, 1 cup of milk, 1 cup melted butter and 4 eggs. Pour into a greased or lined 9×13 baking dish and bake for 30 – 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool and then frost.
- Sheet pan cake: Spread batter evenly into a greased half sheet sheet pan and bake for 20 - 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool before frosting.
- Bundt Cake: Pour batter into a large prepped bundt pan and bake for 45 – 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for several minutes, then turn out and allow to continue cooling before icing.
Nutrition
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Is there some way to make the Snickerdoodle cake gluten free?
What a pretty cake! If you love snickerdoodle cookies, then you will love this cake!! It’s so light & fluffy & the frosting is delicious!! Love the cinnamon-y flavor!
Snickerdoodle anything is one of my favorite go-tos for dessert. So I knew when I saw this cake, that it was a must. I’m so glad I made it… it’s awesome!
Oh, my! If you love snickerdoodles, you will absolutely love this cake! The frosting is the da bomb!
So delicious!! I already can’t wait to make it again.
Are you able to make a 2 layer round cake with this recipe cut in half by any chance?
I haven’t tried it, but I don’t see why not.
For Bundt cake, do you use original recipe or just use the 1 cake box mix recipe?