Giant Cinnamon Roll Cake

Here’s a fun and easy way to make a fluffy cinnamon roll cake using a simple dough recipe. Check out the video tutorial and recipe notes before you start.

Giant Cinnamon Roll Cake

Giant Cinnamon Roll Cake

Ingredients

  • 2 and 3/4 cups (344g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus extra as needed
  • 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 and 1/4 teaspoons Platinum Yeast from Red Star (1 standard packet)*
  • 3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk
  • 1/4 cup (4 Tablespoons; 60g) unsalted butter
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • Filling:
  • 1/4 cup (4 Tablespoons; 60g) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup (50g) packed light or dark brown sugar or granulated sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • Vanilla Icing:
  • 1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons (30ml) milk or heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Start by making the dough: Combine flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in a bowl. Set it aside. Warm up the milk and butter in the microwave until the butter melts and the mix feels warm to the touch, around 100-110°F, 38-43°C. Add the warm milk mix to the dry ingredients. Crack in the egg. Use a mixer or a spatula to blend until a soft dough forms. The dough is ready when it pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If it's sticky, add 2-4 extra Tablespoons of flour. Remember, it should be a bit soft.
Place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Knead it for 3 minutes (check the video above for reference). Alternatively, use a mixer on low speed for 3 minutes. Poke the dough—if it bounces back slowly, it's ready. If not, keep kneading.
Shape the dough into a ball and let it rest, covered, for 30 minutes at room temperature or in a greased bowl.

For the filling: After 30 minutes, roll the dough into a 15x12 inch rectangle. Spread the softened butter on top. Mix sugar and cinnamon, then sprinkle it over the buttered dough.
Grease a 9-inch round pie dish or cake pan with butter or nonstick spray.
To create the cinnamon roll cake, cut the dough into six 2-inch wide strips. Roll up one strip and place it in the center of the pan. Coil the other 5 strips around the center one to form a large cinnamon roll. If any filling spills out, sprinkle it on top.
Cover the cake and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1-2 hours until it doubles in size. (On a cold day, use a slightly warmed oven for the rise.)

Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Bake the cake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. If it browns too quickly, cover it with foil. If some parts rise unevenly, press them down gently with a spatula. Return to baking.
Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. While it cools, make the icing.
For the icing: Whisk icing ingredients together. Adjust thickness by adding more sugar for thicker icing or more milk/cream for a thinner one. Drizzle over the warm cake and enjoy.
This cinnamon roll cake tastes best fresh, but you can store it covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.

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