Description
This Snickerdoodle Bundt Cake is a soft, cinnamon-swirled vanilla cake topped with a luscious cream cheese glaze and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar. Perfect for beginner bakers, this cake starts with a cake mix for ease while still delivering homemade flavor. It’s the ideal dessert for cozy gatherings, holiday celebrations, or an indulgent afternoon treat.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cake:
- 1 box vanilla cake mix
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil or melted butter
- 1 cup milk or buttermilk
- ½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
For the Glaze:
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-3 tablespoons milk
For the Topping:
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven and prepare the pan: Set the oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously grease a bundt pan with butter or nonstick spray, ensuring every ridge is coated. Lightly dust with flour or sugar to prevent sticking.
- Mix the cake batter: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cake mix, eggs, oil, milk, sour cream, and vanilla extract until the batter is smooth. Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the cake dense.
- Prepare the cinnamon-sugar mixture: In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon. This mixture will create the signature snickerdoodle swirl inside the cake.
- Assemble the cake layers: Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared bundt pan. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the batter. Add the remaining batter on top, then sprinkle the rest of the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Create the swirl effect: Use a butter knife or skewer to gently swirl the cinnamon-sugar mixture through the batter, making circular motions to create a marbled effect. Avoid overmixing, or the layers will blend too much.
- Bake the cake: Place the bundt pan in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes. The cake is ready when the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before carefully inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare the cream cheese glaze: In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk until smooth. Adjust the consistency by adding more milk if needed to create a pourable glaze.
- Glaze and finish: Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake, allowing it to naturally flow over the ridges of the bundt shape. Mix the topping ingredients (sugar and cinnamon) and sprinkle over the glaze for extra flavor and a bakery-style look.
Notes
- For a more intense cinnamon flavor, add ½ teaspoon of cinnamon directly to the cake batter.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
- If you don’t have a bundt pan, you can bake this in a 9×13-inch pan; just reduce the baking time by about 10 minutes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40-45 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 320mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 45mg