Name: Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 10-12 slices
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 package of spice* cake mix; 1 small package of instant vanilla, caramel or butterscotch pudding mix; 1 cup sour cream (or greek yogurt); 4 eggs, beaten; ½ cup vegetable oil (such as Grapeseed or Avocado); 5 tablespoons all natural or refined sugar; 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; ½ cup chopped pecans (optional); 4 tablespoons butter, unsalted or salted; 1/2 cup light brown sugar (packed); 1/4 teaspoon flaky salt; 1/4 - 1/2 cup heavy cream depending on thickness

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Sugar and spice and everything nice? It is when you make this simple Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake for your family or friends. A simple, moist, coffee cake recipe – hands on on time; 15 minutes, maybe! The hardest part about this cake is waiting for it to bake.

CINNAMON SWIRL BUNDT CAKE

Hopefully you know me well enough by now to know that I typically make things from scratch, but I’ve had this recipe for eons and it really is a winner, every-single-time, so yes, sometimes I bake from a mix and I’m okay with that!

Best Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Coffee Cake

The “all-natural and wholesome” side of me has really tried to adapt this recipe to being both quick and healthy, but as of today, right-at-this-moment, I haven’t been successful. It doesn’t mean I won’t stop trying, but for now, why should you be penalized from enjoying this tender Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake all because I can’t seem to figure out my recipe testing?

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Life is about balance, I hope you embrace that! And sometimes I make my family something not so healthy or natural, but something that tastes really, really, really good and is so SIMPLE!!

EASY CINNAMON SWIRL BUNDT CAKE

Last weekend was the first time in months that we haven’t had a commitment (usually involving swimming) consuming our weekends. Plus I slept really well Saturday night, woke up early and refreshed; it was a chilly morning and after my quiet time (I love this book), I decided to bake a coffee cake for my family. THIS Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake to be exact!

I keep a few cake mixes in my pantry just for this purpose; for that time when I decide to be “Susie Homemaker” early on a lazy Sunday morning and really don’t want to run to the store for supplies.

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My original recipe calls for an 18 oz package of spice cake mix, however, the two major names in cake mixes, you know Mrs. Crocker and Mr. Hines, well their packaging is only 15.25 oz. Perhaps cake volumes have changed since my recipe came out, perhaps I typed the amounts wrong on the original recipe. Typo? Moi? Type something incorectly? Neever! 🙂

The 15.25 oz package of cake mix works just fine, or try Miss Jones brand it’s organic, vegan, non-GMO. I’ve tried using the FoodStirs brand which I can get in my grocery store, but it’s 20 oz. I weighed out the dry mix to be exactly (18 oz) and things didn’t work out so well, maybe I’ll just try that without making any adjustments. Maybe healthy ingredients just weigh more? I dunno!

My recipe says a “4 oz package of instant pudding mix“, maybe I was rounding when I typed, new math?? As long as we’re going all crazy with mixes, just buy the 3.4 oz box of Jell-O brand. I have used vanilla, butterscotch and caramel; all yummy. Jell-O discontinued their all-natural pudding mix or pick up an all natural pudding mix from your health food store, there are several good ones.

CINNAMON SWIRL CAKE READY FOR OVEN IN 15 MINUTES

The recipe is really difficult; so get ready to take notes. In the bowl of a stand mixer, dump in cake mix, instant pudding mix, sour cream, eggs, and oil (use a good healthy oil, I like Avocado oil). Mix on medium for about 2 minutes until smooth. Sorry, I know that was rough, did you break a sweat?

While the batter is battering, in a small bowl add your sugar and cinnamon and mix with a fork until blended, adding nuts after blender, if desired. We can’t do nuts in our baked goods, I love nuts, but alas our son has nut allergies, so I gladly refrain.

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When the batter is done, grease your pan. Using a spray oil or non-stick spray, heavily spray a 9 or 10″ bundt pan, brushing into nooks and crannies, don’t forget the center tube! Wait to grease your pan until just before you are ready to fill it, this way the oil or spray doesn’t have a chance to run down the sides, collecting at the bottom. Read this fun article from King Arthur on preventing bundt pans from sticking.

Pour half of the batter into greased bundt pan and sprinkle on a little over half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture, reserving a little to sprinkle on top. Pour the rest of the batter into the pan, gently pushing around to even out and meet sides of the pan. Sprinkle top with the rest of the sugar mixture.

Bake at 350° for 45 minutes to an hour, until toothpick inserted comes out clean or with a few crumbs. Remove from oven, using a table knife to gentle loosen the edges of the cake from the pan, then invert onto cooling rack for 10 minutes before removing pan.

Note | If your pan is dark inside or out, reduce oven temperature by 25° and check at 45 minutes.

Sometimes bundt pans are a little stubborn; read this article on sticky bundts.

Serve warm or cool, and if you really love the people you are making it for, you’ll make this delectable salted brown sugar glaze for the top drizzling over warm cake, instructions in recipe.

Other breakfast recipes that will (not) make you break out in a sweat:

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Yield: 10-12 slices

Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake

Sugar and spice and everything nice? It is when you make this Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake for your family or friends. Hands on time, maybe 15 minutes, maybe! The hardest part about this cake is waiting for it to bake.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Bake Time 1 hour

Cooling 10 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes

Ingredients

Cinnamon Swirl Bundt

1 package of spice* cake mix
1 small package of instant vanilla, caramel or butterscotch pudding mix
1 cup sour cream (or greek yogurt)
4 eggs, beaten
½ cup vegetable oil (such as Grapeseed or Avocado)
5 tablespoons all natural or refined sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ cup chopped pecans (optional)

Glaze (optional)

4 tablespoons butter, unsalted or salted
1/2 cup light brown sugar (packed)
1/4 teaspoon flaky salt
1/4 - 1/2 cup heavy cream depending on thickness

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F (325° for dark or coated pans).
Combine cake mix, instant pudding, sour cream, eggs, and oil and beat together well, batter will be thick. Grease with spray oil a 10" bundt pan. In a separate bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon and pecans, if using.
Pour half of the batter into prepared pan and sprinkle with the sugar mixture, reserving a little to sprinkle on top. Pour the rest of the batter into the pan and sprinkle with the rest of the sugar. Bake 45-1 hour, until toothpick comes out clean or a few crumbs. Invert onto cooling rack and let cool for about 10 minutes on rack, then remove from pan. If your cake sticks see post for tips on how to release.

Glaze Instructions

Melt butter and brown sugar in small saucepan, cook stirring for 1 minute. Add cream and salt, bringing to simmer, cooking for 2 minutes. Cool for 10-20 minutes (longer for thicker glaze). Drizzle over top of warm or cooled cake. Drizzling over warm cake will yield a moist sticky glaze, allowing to cool and drizzling over cooled cake will yield more of a drizzle.