This fantastic Cinnamon Roll Cream Cheese Coffee Cake is part cake and part cheesecake plus the irresistible flavors of cinnamon rolls.
Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake
There are times when you make a dessert, and it’s love at first bite. That’s the case with this Cinnamon Roll Cream Cheese Coffee Cake. Actually, that’s not entirely true. I knew I was smitten about halfway through making it the first time. And then there was the heavenly smell coming from the oven as it baked. By the time I got to that first bite, I knew it was going to be amazing.
There are three different components to make for this cake, but they’re each easy enough to prepare. Just be warned that you will use a lot of bowls and mixing spoons to get the job done. Start with an empty sink and dishwasher and you’ll be in good shape.
Tips for Success
- Measure accurately. Use a kitchen scale to measure by weight if possible. Otherwise, spoon and sweep!
- Use a springform pan. This is a big, tall cake so the height of a springform pan works well. Plus, you won’t have to struggle with trying to flip the cake out of the pan and onto a serving plate because you can just remove the sides of the pan.
- Bring the cream cheese to room temperature. The filling will mix more easily and be much smoother with room temperature cream cheese. Depending on how warm your kitchen is, it should take about 30 minutes on your kitchen counter to get it to room temperature.
- Check for browning in the last 20-30 minutes of baking. If the top of the cake is looking too brown, cover it loosely with foil to prevent over-browning.
- Don’t worry about cracks in the cake. Because you’ll be swirling the cinnamon filling into the cream cheese filling, that filling gets a little more mixed than normal, so don’t be surprised if you see a few cracks in the top when it’s done. Honestly, a few cracks don’t bother me. I choose to believe it adds to its rustic appeal. And once you serve it, it’s likely no one will care what it looks like!
- Refrigerate any leftovers. This cake is good cold, at room temperature, or (my favorite) slightly warmed.
I initially thought that it would be pretty perfect to top slices of this cake with a simple glaze like you’d use to top cinnamon rolls, but honestly it just doesn’t need it. It’s plenty sweet on its own without it. Plus the presence of the cheesecake layer provides a similar sweetness and flavor so you won’t definitely won’t miss it.
While this is certainly not what I’d call a quick and easy recipe, it’s not an all-day thing, either. I can have this mixed, assembled, and in the oven in under 40 minutes. Considering everything that’s going on here, that’s impressive. And the impressive part certainly carries over to the flavor. This is one incredible cake!
More Cream Cheese Coffee Cake Recipes
Cinnamon Roll Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
Coffee cake meets cinnamon rolls and cheesecake in this incredible Cinnamon Roll Cream Cheese Coffee Cake!
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 & 1/4 cups (270g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup (177ml) milk
For the filling:
- 16 ounces (454g) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
For the cinnamon swirl:
- 1 cup (200g) firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/3 cup (75g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
To make the cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch round springform pan.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla, and mix well.
- Reduce mixer speed to low. Add the flour mixture in three portions, alternating with two portions of milk. Mix just until combined. (The batter will be thick.)
- Spread 3/4 of the batter in the prepared pan. Set aside the remaining batter.
To make the filling:
- Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the cream cheese, sugar, flour, and vanilla until combined. Add the eggs, and beat on low speed just until combined.
- Pour the filling mixture over the cake batter in the pan.
To make the cinnamon swirl and finish assembling the cake:
- Combine the brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon. Drop by tablespoonfuls over the filling.
- Use a thin knife to swirl the cinnamon mixture into the filling.
- Drop the remaining cake batter by tablespoonfuls over the filling.
- Place the pan on a lined, rimmed baking sheet to catch any potential spills or leaks.
- Bake 70 to 80 minutes, or until the center is almost set. If necessary, cover the top loosely with foil during the last 20 to 30 minutes to help prevent overbrowning.
- Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Then, carefully run a thin knife around the edges of the pan. Cool for 1 hour. Then remove the sides of the pan.
Notes
This cake is best served warm. Refrigerate any leftovers and reheat servings as needed.
Recipe slightly adapted from Taste of Home.
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15 Comments on “Cinnamon Roll Cream Cheese Coffee Cake”
I hope it turns out to be as crispy as you have portrayed in the pictures. A good read I must say!
Wonderful recipe, easy to follow and so incredibly delicious!
This cake looks so moist and delicious! Perfect for the weekend!
I baked mine for 90 min, the center didn’t seem quite set enough but I took it out of the oven anyway since I was already 10 min over. The center fell and isn’t quite cooked through and fell apart when I tried to serve it. it needed at least another 5-10 min, I think. But it is delicious anyway!
I’m glad you liked it, Angela! If you haven’t already, try testing your oven’s temperature accuracy with an inexpensive oven thermometer.
looks amazing!
if i want to make it even extra special, do you have any idea for a kind of glaze or ganache that might work here? only to make the top less dry and give it a more impressive look.
You could go with a traditional cinnamon roll glaze, but it’s going to be really, really sweet. There’s a glaze recipe with these Biscuit Cinnamon Rolls. For what it’s worth, it’s not dry. The cream cheese layer gives it a lovely texture and tastes much like a cinnamon roll glaze.
Just finished making this! Center was set after 80 minutes at 350F, but bottom and sides were burnt. Might try again with lower temperature and longer baking time, but not a bad combo cake! 🙂
Try shielding the sides of the pan with foil to prevent over-baking around the edges. You can also place the pan on a baking sheet to help insulate the bottom.
Hi Jennifer,
I’ve been holding on to this recipe since you published it and just did a practice run for a special brunch I’m attending. It is absolutely one of the most amazing cakes I’ve baked and everyone who tasted it has raved!! I cooked it for 75 mins. and it was perfect…I did forget to check the top at 30 mins. left so I only covered the last 10 mins. but it still looked beautiful. I was also worried because the cinnamon swirl was very thick and not easy to swirl in with my knife…but again, it baked perfectly. It’s also fabulous cold, but I did love it best reheated a bit in the microwave! I’m wondering how to reheat for a crowd at this brunch. Thank you for another scrumptious desert-your recipes are absolutely delicious and I’ve baked many of them, always with raves!
I’m so glad you liked it, Diane! And thanks for your kind words. 🙂 You can try reheating multiple servings in a low temperature oven for a few minutes.
Hello
Thank you sooooooo much for this recipe
It is more than awesome my cake turned out perfect
The only thing I adddd to your recipe was 3/4 cup of chopped pecans
This is my now go to cake
I’m so glad you liked it!
Any recommendations on making this for a 6 inch pan? Should I halve the recipe? Halve the baking time?
I ended up making this full sized. Really delicious, but I agree with other commenters that 70-80 minutes was far from enough time. I think mine ended up baking for a little under 2 hours before it was set.