Snickerdoodle Cake — The interior of this addicting snickerdoodle cake is soft, buttery, dense, and has an almost pound cake-like texture. The cinnamon-sugar filling is my favorite part!
Easy Snickerdoodle Cake Recipe
I love snickerdoodles and have taken the cinnamon-sugar flavor of the beloved cookie and worked it into bars, blondies, breads, and various cookies. It was about time to make a snickerdoodle cake.
Snickerdoodle fans are going to be in heaven with this bundt cake. The interior is soft, buttery, dense, and has an almost pound cake-like texture. Greek yogurt (or sour cream) helps keep the cake moist and also provides an ever-so-slight tanginess that snickerdoodle cookies have.
The snickerdoodle cake is coated with cinnamon-sugar and there’s a cinnamon-sugar filling that runs through the center of the cake. It’s a happy tunnel of cinnamon-sugar love that turns crunchy while the cake bakes. The texture contrast of the crunchy crust and filling with the tender crumb of the cake is wonderful.
My family raved about the cake, saying it was the best coffee cake ever and told me I should start selling it.
Being that it’s already coated with cinnamon-sugar, there’s no need to make frosting or spend time frosting a cake. A win-win.
What’s in This Snickerdoodle Cake?
To make this snickerdoodle bundt cake recipe, you’ll need:
- Granulated sugar
- Cinnamon
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Unsalted butter
- Light brown sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Greek yogurt or sour cream
How to Make Snickerdoodle Cake
Before making the cake batter, you’ll need to prep the bundt pan. Generously spray the pan with cooking spray, then evenly coat with cinnamon-sugar. Once that’s done, make the batter.
Cream together the butter, sugars, and eggs, adding each ingredient one at a time, being sure to whip the mixture thoroughly between each addition. Stir in the yogurt and dry ingredients, then turn half the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar, then top with remaining batter.
Bake the snickerdoodle cake until the top is lightly golden brown and set, and a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter. Don’t overbake because the cinnamon-sugar crust will become overly crunchy.
Can I Make This in a Regular Cake Pan?
No, the cake batter won’t fit in a single 9-inch round cake pan. I’ve only ever made this as a bundt cake, but if you don’t have a bundt pan you may be able to use a 9×13-inch pan instead.
Can I Freeze Snickerdoodle Cake?
Most likely, but I haven’t tried it myself so I can’t say for sure.
Tips for Making Snickerdoodle Cake
When preparing the bundt pan, you will only need about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of cinnamon-sugar, but try to evenly coat the inside surface of the pan, including the tube. You want to get into every nook and cranny of your pan with the cinnamon-sugar!
When making this cake, be sure to follow my instructions to a tee. You really need to take the time to properly cream together the wet ingredients, otherwise your pound cake will turn out incredibly dense.
Note that I used 0% fat Greek yogurt in this recipe, but any plain Greek yogurt or sour cream will work.
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Snickerdoodle Bundt Cake
Ingredients
For Preparing the Pan and Creating the Filling:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
For the Cake:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream, I used Greek yogurt
Instructions
- Preparing the Pan
- To a small bowl, add 1 cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, and whisk to combine; set aside.
- Preheat oven to 325F.
- Generously spray a 9-inch (12-cup) Bundt pan with floured cooking spray (or grease the pan with shortening), being careful to cover all the nooks and crannies, as well as the center tube. Gently dust the entire inside of the pan with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. You will only need about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of cinnamon-sugar, but try to evenly coat the inside surface of the pan, including the tube.
- Save the remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture for layering in as the filling; set everything aside.
- Making the Cake
- To a large bowl, add the flour, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and whisk to combine; set aside.
- To the mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or large mixing bowl and electric mixer), add the butter and beat on medium-high speed for 1 minute.
- Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, add 1 cup granulated sugar and mix on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the brown sugar and mix on medium-high speed until the mixture looks light brown and uniform in color, about 2 minutes.
- Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the eggs one at a time, mixing on medium speed for 1 minute after each egg.
- Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the vanilla and mix on medium speed to incorporate, about 30 seconds.
- Add half the flour mixture, half the Greek yogurt or sour cream, and mix on medium-low speed until incorporated, about 1 minute.
- Add the remaining flour mixture, remaining Greek yogurt or sour cream, and mix on medium-low speed until incorporated, about 1 minute.
- Turn half the batter out into the prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula. The batter is quite thick and that’s okay.
- Evenly sprinkle the reserved cinnamon-sugar mixture over the top of the batter, which creates the filling as the cake bakes.
- Turn the remaining batter out into the pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula. Bake for 55 to 62 minutes (I baked for 59 minutes), or until top is lightly golden brown and set, and a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter. Don’t overbake because the cinnamon-sugar crust will become overly crunchy.
- Allow cake to cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Snickerdoodle Recipes:
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Soft and Chewy Molasses Gingerdoodles — 3 favorites combined! Soft molasses cookies, chewy gingerbread and crinkly snickerdoodles!
Soft and Chewy Sugar-Doodle Vanilla Cookies – Part soft sugar cookie, part chewy snickerdoodle, with tons of rich vanilla flavor!
Soft and Chewy Cinnamon Chip Snickerdoodle Cookies – Buttery soft snickerdoodles loaded with cinnamon chips! They’re for those who usually need to double the cinnamon in recipes just to get enough pop!
The Best Snickerdoodle Bars — They taste just like snickerdoodle cookies in fast and easy bar form! Soft, chewy, buttery…So irresistible!!
Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Blondies — Soft pumpkin bars, cinnamon-sugary snickerdoodles, and buttery blondies rolled into one!
Cinnamon-Sugar Mini Donut-Topped Snickerdoodle Cake — Can’t decide between donuts or coffee cake for breakfast? You can have them both in this soft, easy, one-bowl, no-mixer cake that’s a crowd favorite!
Snickerdoodle Bread — Bread that tastes like snickerdoodle cookies! Loaded with cinnamon chips and a cinnamon-sugar crust!
Chai Snickerdoodle Cookies — The cookies are easy to make and are slightly chewy around the edges with soft, pillowy centers. The chai spices give the cookies so much depth of flavor.
What about turning this into muffins? Bake time?
Normally muffins take about 20 minutes, give or take. 350F should be fine.
There is a Bakery about 20.miles from my home that sales a Snickerdoodle Cake.$30.00 .I have to admit your recipe is so much better. Thank you very much and I saved money..This recipe is going into the family cookbook. My family loves this cake.
There is a Bakery about 20.miles from my home that sales a Snickerdoodle Cake.$30.00 .I have to admit your recipe is so much better. Thank you very much and I saved money..This recipe is going into the family cookbook. My family loves this cake.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this recipe is so much better than the bakery’s and is going into your family cookbook!
This cake is like Mary Poppins–practically perfect in every way. It’s sweet (although not cloyingly so) and the cinnamon comes through beautifully. The sugar/cinnamon dusting of the pan makes the outside delightfully crisp. It does taste more like a coffee cake than a snickerdoodle to me, which is actually a plus because I’d been searching for a good coffee cake recipe for months with no luck.
One change I did make: instead of batter/filling/batter, I did three layers of batter & two of filling. I believe that having two thinner layers of sugar instead of a single thick one, combined with a careful eye on the clock (it was baked perfectly at 55 minutes), helped prevent the filling from becoming too crunchy to eat. Next time I make it–and there *will* be a next time–I will also add some toasted pecans to make it taste even more like a coffee cake.
TL/DR: Awesome coffee cake; split the filling into two layers and don’t overbake = PERFECTION.
This cake is like Mary Poppins–practically perfect in every way. It’s sweet (although not cloyingly so) and the cinnamon comes through beautifully. The sugar/cinnamon dusting of the pan makes the outside delightfully crisp. It does taste more like a coffee cake than a snickerdoodle to me, which is actually a plus because I’d been searching for a good coffee cake recipe for months with no luck.
One change I did make: instead of batter/filling/batter, I did three layers of batter & two of filling. I believe that having two thinner layers of sugar instead of a single thick one, combined with a careful eye on the clock (it was baked perfectly at 55 minutes), helped prevent the filling from becoming too crunchy to eat. Next time I make it–and there *will* be a next time–I will also add some toasted pecans to make it taste even more like a coffee cake.
TL/DR: Awesome coffee cake; split the filling into two layers and don’t overbake = PERFECTION.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this cake was Mary Poppins-ish for you! I love your analogy. Also the cinnamon/sugar dusting of the pan, yes it adds the perfect outside crispiness!
Coffee cake…OMG make this one https://www.averiecooks.com/glazed-pumpkin-coffee-cake/ I realize it’s not pumpkin season, but so so good.
Also this one https://www.averiecooks.com/blueberry-streusel-coffee-cake/
From cake mix, very good! https://www.averiecooks.com/buttery-crumb-coffee-cake/
Hi! Just stopping by to say this is absolutely delicious!!!! Everyone loved it!!
I’m just curious as to what can I do to avoid the sugar in the middle to crystalize, because Sometimes when taking a bite I do feel hard sugar clumps. I’m sure I’m doing something wrong. I’d appreciate your feedback. Other than that this is just spectacular!
Hi! Just stopping by to say this is absolutely delicious!!!! Everyone loved it!!
I’m just curious as to what can I do to avoid the sugar in the middle to crystalize, because Sometimes when taking a bite I do feel hard sugar clumps. I’m sure I’m doing something wrong. I’d appreciate your feedback. Other than that this is just spectacular!
Hi! Just stopping by to say this is absolutely delicious!!!! Everyone loved it!!
I’m just curious as to what can I do to avoid the sugar in the middle to crystalize, because Sometimes when taking a bite I do feel hard sugar clumps. I’m sure I’m doing something wrong. I’d appreciate your feedback. Other than that this is just spectacular!
Hmmmm that is a problem I’ve never had. I would do some research on Google, there are tons of baking forums out there, that may be able to crack the code on this.
Maybe try superfine sugar?
Or… Also I only use C & H brand sugar, both brown and white. This is a situation where store brands or other brands just don’t perform for me, and in particular I find the white sugar really granular and it doesn’t dissolve as well as C & H. Maybe this could help you.
OMGGGGG! *5 STARS!! I’ve been looking for a snickerdoodle recipe for awhile now but dreaded the laborious trial/error routine of trying different ones! But I tried this one first & absolutely hit the jackpot!!! Thank you so much for sharing your gift w/the world! I doing the snickerdoodle cookies next! Btw, can you advise which of your other delicacies I should head towards next? Thx in advance!!
OMGGGGG! *5 STARS!! I’ve been looking for a snickerdoodle recipe for awhile now but dreaded the laborious trial/error routine of trying different ones! But I tried this one first & absolutely hit the jackpot!!! Thank you so much for sharing your gift w/the world! I doing the snickerdoodle cookies next! Btw, can you advise which of your other delicacies I should head towards next? Thx in advance!!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this recipe was the jackpot for you!
I have sooo many desserts. It is seriously hard to pick a favorite! Everyone loves my Starbucks Lemon Loaf Copycat or this Crustless Blueberry Pie, both are very easy.
Also, is there a snickerdoodle cupcake recipe?
I haven’t made cupcakes from this recipe so can’t give any specific advise other than to pour batter into cupcake molds and bake for 20 mins or so and see what happens.
My family loved the cake they ate around the hard sugar center. I baked it for 59 minutes.
Yesterday, made this cake, and it did not work. The half cup of sugar and cinnamon turned out hard. Did anyone else experience this? Thanks, Mike
No I have never had that issue nor have I had anyone say the cake didn’t work. I am think that it could have been overbaked if it turned out hard.
My family loved the cake they ate around the hard sugar center. I baked it for 59 minutes.
I also got a slightly hard sugar center. It was just soft enough the crush into crumbles so I still ate it. Hopefully baking it for less time next time will do the trick.
Have you tried substituting brown sugar in the filling? My coffee cake uses brown sugar, cinnamon, & cocoa :) Anxious to try your recipe!
Thank you!
I’ve only made it just like this. Hope you enjoy it!