Snickerdoodle Cake

This semi-homemade cake is super easy to make and is perfect for your Thanksgiving or Christmas celebrations. Each bite of Snickerdoodle Cake is sweet, soft, and moist with layers of cinnamon buttercream and swirls of cinnamon sugar.

If you like Snickerdoodle Cookies, you’re going to love this Snickerdoodle Cake Recipe. It takes a box of yellow cake mix and transforms it into a bakery-style cake with luscious brown sugar and cinnamon swirled throughout, giving it that trademark snickerdoodle flavor we all know and love.

The brown sugar cream cheese buttercream frosting takes it to the next level of delicious. This may soon become your favorite cake!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Your favorite cookie in a cake format
• Perfect cake to serve for the holiday season
• A fluffy cake that starts with a box of cake mix
• A crowd-pleaser recipe that everyone will be swooning over
• Made with simple ingredients
• Homemade brown sugar cinnamon buttercream is incredibly creamy

Ingredients

The full printable recipe card with measurements and instructions is found at the bottom of the post.

Snickerdoodle Cake

• Yellow cake mix
• Eggs
• Milk
• Unsalted butter
• Brown sugar
• Cinnamon

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Buttercream

• Unsalted butter
• Cream cheese
• Brown sugar
• Cinnamon
• Powdered sugar
• Sugar
• Cinnamon
• Cinnamon cereal

How to Make Snickerdoodle Cake

• Step One: Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease three 8-inch cake pans. 
• Step Two: In a large mixing bowl, combine the two cake mixes, milk, melted butter, and eggs. Whisk until smooth and combined.
• Step Three: Divide the cake batter evenly between the three pans. 
• Step Four: Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar across the top of the cakes and swirl through. 
• Step Five: Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Step Six: Let the cakes cool in the pans for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Cool completely.

How to Make Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

• Step One: In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, cream cheese, brown sugar, and cinnamon together with a hand mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy.
• Step Two: Add the powdered sugar to the bowl, a little at a time, while continuing to beat with the mixer.
• Step Three: Once the powdered sugar is added, continue beating until the mixture is light and fluffy (about 5 to 7 minutes).

How to Assemble

• Step One: Place a cake layer onto a serving plate or cake plate. 
• Step Two: Frost the top of the cake with a layer of cinnamon buttercream.
• Step Three: Repeat with the next layer.
• Step Four: Place the final layer on top and frost the whole cake with the cinnamon buttercream. If you’d like, you can reserve some frosting and pipe a bit on top and around the sides for decoration.
• Step Five: Mix the sugar and cinnamon (listed in the topping section) and sprinkle all over the top. Decorate with cinnamon cereal if desired. 

Variations and Substitutions

• Add two teaspoons of vanilla extract to the cake batter to enhance its vanilla flavor.
• Use white cake mix or even spice cake mix if you can’t find yellow cake mix. 
• Use dark or light brown sugar in this recipe. 
• Add ½ cup chopped walnuts to the cake batter for a nutty crunch.
• Add a drizzle of caramel sauce on top of each cut piece of cake.

What to Serve with It

• Homemade Eggnog
• Butterscotch Steamer
• Pumpkin Spice Latte
• Cinnamon Hot Chocolate
• Gingerbread Latte

Recipe Tips and Tricks

• It helps to let the cake chill for about 30 minutes before serving to help it set up a little. 
• Use cake dowels to keep the cake level if you are transporting the cake. Place them in before you frost the cake.
• Use a cake tester or a toothpick to insert into the center of the cake to check for doneness. If it comes out wet, it needs more time.
• Use a butter knife to swirl the cinnamon sugar through the cake.

Storage Instructions

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Store any leftover cake in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. 

You can also freeze this cake for up to 3 months.

Can I Turn This Cake Into Cupcakes?

Yes! You can turn this recipe into cupcakes or a 9×13-inch cake. Use just 1 cake mix, 1 cup of milk, 1 cup of melted butter, and 4 eggs. 

Cinnamon Recipes

• Snickerdoodle Cupcakes
• Air Fryer Cinnamon Twists
• Cinnamon Roll Cookies
• Cinnamon Bread
• Cinnamon Coffee Cake

You’ll also like this Quick Slice Cake and Pig Pickin Cake.

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