This cinnamon bundt cake gets its flavor from dark brown sugar and ground cinnamon, with a simple cinnamon sugar crust baked right in. You’ll only need basic pantry ingredients and one bowl. Perfect with your morning coffee or as a simple dessert.
This cinnamon bundt cake is soft and moist with just the right amount of sweetness. The combination of yogurt and oil keeps it tender without feeling heavy. It’s flavored with cinnamon and dark brown sugar, which gives it a deep, almost caramel-like taste.
The topping is what gives this cake a little extra flair. It’s not just sprinkled on top after baking. You coat the pan in butter and cinnamon sugar before pouring in the batter, so when it bakes and flips out, the top has a lightly crisp, sugary crust. No glaze or frosting is needed, although I never turn down a little dusting of powdered sugar.
Ingredients
See the recipe card for exact amounts.
- Flour: Provides structure. I use all-purpose flour.
- Dark brown sugar: Adds sweetness and moisture, but also gives a deeper flavor than white sugar.
- Greek yogurt: Helps make the cake extra moist and adds a subtle tang that balances the sweetness.
- Neutral oil: Keeps the texture light and tender. Choose something like canola or vegetable oil.
- Eggs: Bind everything together and add richness.
- Milk: Adds moisture and helps the batter mix smoothly.
- Vanilla extract: Boosts the flavor and pairs well with the warm cinnamon.
- Ground cinnamon: The main flavor here. This is the whole point of the cake. It adds warmth, spice, and depth.
- Salt: Balances sweetness and enhances the other flavors.
- Baking powder and baking soda: Both leaveners help the cake rise and create a soft, fluffy crumb.
- Butter (for the pan): Creates a golden crust and helps the cinnamon sugar topping stick and crisp up.
- Granulated sugar (for the topping): Adds texture and sweetness to the outside of the cake.
Substitutions
- Yogurt: You can use sour cream instead. It has a similar texture and moisture level. Avoid using low-fat versions; full-fat works best.
- Dark brown sugar: You can use light brown sugar, but the flavor will be slightly less intense.
- Oil: Stick to neutral oils like canola, vegetable, or avocado oil.
- Cinnamon: No substitute here because this is a cinnamon bundt cake, but you could mix in a little nutmeg or cardamom if you want to tweak the flavor.
Instructions
Prep Tips
This cinnamon bundt cake comes together in under 10 minutes with simple pantry ingredients and no mixer. Here’s how to make it from scratch.
- Rub the soft butter around the inside of the bundt pan.
- In a small bowl, mix the cinnamon and sugar for the topping. Sprinkle in the cinnamon sugar. Tilt and tap the pan to coat the sides.
- In a blender, combine the eggs, oil, yogurt, vanilla, milk, and dark brown sugar. Blend until smooth. A blender makes for easy mixing. You can also mix vigorously with a whisk.
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and gently fold it together until there are no dry streaks.
- Carefully pour the batter into the prepared pan, trying not to disturb the cinnamon sugar coating.
Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes before flipping onto a plate.
Tips for making a Cinnamon Bundt Cake
- Use room temperature ingredients. Room temperature ingredients mix in evenly.
- Grease and coat the pan properly. The butter and cinnamon sugar topping need to stick to the pan so they caramelize during baking.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Once the dry and wet ingredients are combined, stop mixing. Overmixing can lead to a tough cake.
- Use a blender for the wet ingredients. It creates a smooth, lump-free mixture and saves time.
- Let the cake cool before flipping. If you try to flip it right out of the oven, it could break. Wait 10–15 minutes so the cake sets slightly but is still warm enough to release.
What to serve with Cinnamon Cake
For a cozy breakfast or brunch, serve a slice of cinnamon bundt cake with a hot cup of coffee or chai.
As an easy dessert for guests, serve it with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of butter pecan ice cream.
More Cake Recipes
Storage
Store leftover cinnamon bundt cake covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. If your kitchen is warm, move it to the fridge after 24 hours. To refrigerate, place it in an airtight container or wrap it tightly with plastic wrap to keep it from drying out.
FAQs
The most common reason is not properly greasing the pan. You need to coat every nook and cranny with soft butter and then dust with the cinnamon sugar mixture.
Check that the top springs back lightly when pressed and that the sides are just starting to pull away from the pan. Use a toothpick or skewer. Insert it into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean or with just a few crumbs, it’s done. If there’s wet batter, it needs more time.
Cinnamon Bundt Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Cake
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ½ cup neutral oil
- 1 cup milk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
Topping
- 1 tablespoon butter at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons white granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180 °C). Spray a bundt pan with oil.
- Mix the sugar and cinnamon for the topping together.
- Coat a bundt pan with the soft butter and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar topping over the bottom 2/3 of the pan. The bottom will become the top when the cake is flipped out.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the eggs, oil, yogurt, vanilla, and brown sugar to a blender jar. Mix well until fully combined.
- Add the blended mixture to the flour mix and gently fold together until fully combined.
- Pour the batter slowly into the bundt so you don’t disturb the cinnamon sugar coating.
- Bake for 35 minutes.
Nutritional information is an estimate. Values vary based on products used. Read our full Nutrition Disclaimer.
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