This Cinnamon Bundt Cake is the easiest entertaining recipe for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon snack. A simple, moist, coffee cake recipe with only 15 minutes of hands on prep time! The hardest part about this cake is waiting for it to bake.
Kimberly Raved: “This cake took so little effort and turned out so good! It’s perfect.” ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This recipe was originally posted in 2017 and updated in 2024 and 2026 with new photos, better directions, and step-by-step details.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Cinnamon Cake Recipe
Hopefully you know me well enough by now to know that I typically make things from scratch, and this Cinnamon Bundt Cake is probably one of the recipes I’m most known for with family and friends, but my secret is that it starts with a cake mix. It’s one of those snacking cakes I love to have on the counter when company arrives because it’s a super moist cake, and can be enjoyed pretty much any time of the day!
The thick, coffee cake-like batter, is layered with a cinnamon streusel that adds warm, sweetness in every bite. It’s a great recipe to make in advance and stays beautifully moist for a couple of days. When I tell you it’s a winner, trust me, there’s never a crumb of this cake that goes in waste in our house.
- Uses a cake mix for a quick 15-minute prep
- Perfect for breakfast, brunch, snack, or dessert
- Soft, moist cinnamon cake that melts in your mouth
- This is a fun cake to bake with kids!
We adore coffee cakes in this house, I mean what’s not to love, something warm from the oven, smells like love and it has cake in the title! You bet! Try these other family & reader favorites! Blueberry Crumb Cake, Apple Crumble Cake, Starbucks Copycat Coffee Cake or Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Reader Review: “I wanted to make some kind of a cake using a spice cake mix. I ran across this one & decided to make it. My husband is a huge cinnamon person, but doesn’t care for cake (he’s a little crazy). After I put the glaze on it, I asked him if he would like to try a piece. He said he would take a bite of mine. Well . . . I was the one who only got a bite. He said that this is the BEST cake he has ever had. Yep . . . it’s a WINNER!!! Thanks so much for the terrific recipe!” – Linda
Ingredients
Cinnamon Swirl Bundt:
- Spice cake mix: I use a box cake mix here to keep things easy peasy. Spice flavor is my choice, but you can use yellow cake mix or your favorite here!
- Instant vanilla pudding, caramel, or butterscotch pudding mix: Adds both flavor and moisture to make the cake so rich.
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt: Responsible for that coffee cake-like texture. I use full-fat sour cream, the higher fat content will yeild the best texture.
- Eggs: Binds the batter together. Use room temperature eggs for the best incorporation and batter.
- Vegetable oil such as Avocado oil: Another fat that gives the cake moisture.
Cinnamon Layer:
- All-natural sugar or refined white sugar: both sweeten the cake beautifully.
- Ground cinnamon: A warming spice that adds lots of flavor.
- Chopped pecans: Nutty crunch to add to the cinnamon streusel.
Glaze:
- Salted or unsalted butter: Responsible for the drizzling consistency.
- Light brown sugar: Gives caramel-like sweetness.
- flaky salt: A punch heightens all of the flavors.
- Heavy cream: Helps adjust the texture of the glaze perfectly.
Get the full recipe in the recipe card below.
How to Make Cinnamon Bundt Cake
Step 1: Combine the cake batter
- Preheat oven to 350°F (325° for dark or coated pans).
- Grease and lightly flour a 10-12 cup bundt pan with spray oil, I like Bak-Klene as it has flour in it! Or a tube pan will work here too!
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer, combine cake mix, instant pudding, sour cream, eggs, and oil and beat together well, batter will be thick. Start on low speed, then increase to medium-high for the last minute of mixing.
- In a separate bowl, stir sugar, cinnamon and pecans, if using.
Step 2: Assemble the bundt pan
- Spoon half of the batter into prepared pan, smooth with a spatula and sprinkle with the sugar mixture, reserving a little to sprinkle on top. Pour the remaining batter into the pan and sprinkle with the rest of the cinnamon-sugar.
Step 3: Bake the cake
- Bake 45 minutes – 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.
Step 4: Make the glaze
- 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.
Expert Tips
- If your pan is dark inside or out, reduce oven temperature by 25° and check at 45 minutes.
- Grease the pan very well with baking spray. This is the cooking spray with flour. Bundt pans can be tricky to bake in, but if you use this spray, they come out perfectly every time.
- When it comes to choosing a spice cake mix, the 15.25 oz package of any cake mix works just fine. If you are looking for a healthier cake mix, Miss Jones Cake Mix is organic, vegan, non-GMO.
- Cool the cake completely or until slightly warm before glazing. This helps the glaze to set, if the cake is too hot, then the glaze will just run off the cake.
- Don’t over-mix the cake batter. This can yield a dense and tough cake after baking. Mix until all of the ingredients until just combined.
- You’ll know when the cake is done baking, when an inserted toothpick or better a skewer comes out clean. There should just be moist crumbs, but no wet cake batter.
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. It’s easy to freeze slices of this cake too. Wrap them in plastic wrap and freeze for 2 months. Thaw on the counter before serving (it’s a delicious on-the-go breakfast!). I don’t recommend storing in the refrigerator as the fridge tends to dry out baked goods.
I bake at 5280 above sea level and have never typically made any adjustments for this cake.
If baking above 7,000 feet, add 2 tablepoons all purpose flour to your batter, and 2 teaspoons water. Bake at 375°F (190° C) and start checking for doneness about 10 minutes early.
Variations
- No Spice Cake: If you like the flavors in a spice cake, but don’t have one or can’t find one at the grocery store, grab a vanilla cake mix and add 1–2 teaspoons cinnamon (don’t be shy here!), ½ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼–½ teaspoon ginger, ¼ teaspoon cloves (optional, but lovely for depth), ¼ teaspoon allspice (optional).
- Gluten-Free: Grab a box of your favorite gluten-free cake mix, and follow the instructions including adding the spices from above.
- Nut Free: My oldest son has a tree nut allergy, so I have made this dozens of times without the nuts.
- Favorite Nuts: Use chopped walnuts in place of the pecans.
- Glaze: You can skip the glaze and the cake will still be delicious, or try this Vanilla Buttercream Glaze or Cream Cheese Frosting – like a cinnamon roll bundt cake!
- Bigger swirl, I have never used a butter knife in this recipe to swirl the cinnamon sugar, it’s always a beautiful swirl cake!
- Vanilla: It’s never a bad idea to add extra vanilla extract. If using, add 1-2 teaspoons when making the batter.
Common Questions
We recommend 10 to 15 minutes, then carefully flip it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Pecans are our favorite, but walnuts or even almonds work well too. Omit the nuts as well if you prefer not add them.
It’s delicious with fresh fruit, ice cream for dessert, whipped cream, or just a cup of coffee!
More Easy Breakfast Recipes
- Starbucks Coffee Cake
- Mock Eggs Benedict
- Ugly Cake (Gluten-Free Coffee Cake)
- Crescent Roll Cinnamon Rolls
More Cinnamon Recipes to Try!
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Video
Equipment
Ingredients
Cinnamon Swirl Bundt
- 1 package spice* cake mix See notes for using vanilla cake mix or gluten-free
- 1 small package instant vanilla pudding caramel or butterscotch pudding mix
- 1 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt, room temperature
- 4 large eggs beaten, room temperature
- ½ cup vegetable oil such as Avocado oil
- 5 tablespoons all natural sugar or refined sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ cup chopped pecans optional or favorite chopped nut
Caramel Butter Glaze (optional)
- 4 tablespoons butter unsalted or salted
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- ¼ teaspoon flaky salt
- ¼ – ½ cup heavy cream depending on the thickness of the glaze
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (325° for dark or coated pans).
- Cinnamon Sugar Mixture: In a small bowl, mix together granulated sugar, cinnmaon and pecans (if using)5 tablespoons all natural sugar, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ cup chopped pecans
- Make Cake Batter: 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.1 package spice* cake mix, 1 small package instant vanilla pudding, 1 cup sour cream, 4 large eggs, ½ cup vegetable oil
- Spread half of the batter into prepared bundt pan and sprinkle with more than half of 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 minutes – 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.4 tablespoons butter, ½ cup light brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon flaky salt, ¼ – ½ cup heavy cream
Notes
Nutrition
Linda
I wanted to make some kind of a cake using a spice cake mix. I ran across this one & decided to make it. My husband is a huge cinnamon person, but doesn’t care for cake (he’s a little crazy). After I put the glaze on it, I asked him if he would like to try a piece. He said he would take a bite of mine. Well . . . I was the one who only got a bite. He said that this is the BEST cake he has ever had. Yep . . . it’s a WINNER!!! Thanks so much for the terrific recipe!
Kimberly Roberson
This cake took so little effort and turned out so good! It’s perfect.