This Cinnamon Roll Cake is a game-changer: no yeast, no rising, no hassle! It comes together fast and bakes quicker than traditional cinnamon rolls. Top with quick cream cheese frosting and get ready to fall in love!

The best Cinnamon Roll Cake on a plate

The Best Cinnamon Roll Cake Recipe

Cinnamon rolls are an iconic dessert, but they can be time-consuming. Waiting for the dough to rise twice, plus making the dough, filling, and glaze—it’s a lot.

While I spent months perfecting my Easy Cinnamon Roll Recipe (with no kneading, no mixer, and the quickest dough prep possible), it still takes a fair amount of time to get from start to cinnamon rolls on the table.

That’s why this Cinnamon Roll Cake recipe is the best:

  • All the flavors you love from cinnamon rolls.
  • No kneading, no rising, no mixer needed. We don’t even make the dough, thanks to a shortcut ingredient!
  • This cake can be on the table in about 30 minutes. Seriously! The prep and bake time are both quick.
  • It’s fun! This cake is a blast to assemble and even more fun to eat (obviously!).

Process shots-- images of the biscuits being rolled out and coated in butter

The “Short-Cut”

So how do we finish this cake so quickly? We use refrigerated buttermilk biscuits!

The biscuits are the perfect substitute for cinnamon roll dough, and no one will know you used a store-bought shortcut because this cake is just that good!

I like to grab a 4-pack of buttermilk biscuits to make either one large cinnamon roll cake or a couple of smaller ones. If there are leftovers, we use them for a breakfast favorite—Biscuits and Gravy!

Process shots of cinnamon roll cake-- images of the biscuits being rolled in cinnamon sugar

How To Make A Cinnamon Roll Cake

The full recipe is on the recipe card, but here’s a quick overview:

  1. Flatten each biscuit as thin as possible using a rolling pin or your hands.
  2. Dip the biscuit in melted butter, then in cinnamon-sugar.
  3. Roll the coated biscuit tightly into a cylinder and place it on the outer edge of the skillet or pie pan.
  4. Continue placing the biscuits in a spiral, seam side down, until they reach the center.
  5. While the Cinnamon Roll Cake bakes (and fills your house with an amazing aroma), whip up the frosting to spread over the warm cake—swoon!

Process shots-- images of the biscuits being placed in the pan and being baked

What Pan To Use

This recipe is very forgiving—as long as you have plenty of butter, sugar, cinnamon, and biscuits, you can make the cake as big or small as you like.

We often make this cake in a small 6 to 8-inch cast iron skillet, but if we’re feeding others or feeling extra hungry, we use a 9-inch pie pan.

The bigger the pan, the longer the preparation takes, but you’ll be impressed by how quickly it comes together once the assembly line is set up.

Process shots of the frosting being made

Cinnamon Roll Cake Frosting Tips

  • Set out the butter and cream cheese an hour before baking to reach room temperature. If they’re cold, the frosting may have unpleasant cream cheese chunks. To speed this up, try these quick methods for bringing butter and cream cheese to room temp.
  • Don’t skip the flavor enhancers—salt and vanilla extract add essential nuance to the frosting. Even small amounts make a big difference!
  • Slowly add powdered sugar to taste. More sugar makes the frosting sweeter and firmer; less keeps it tangier and softer. Adjust to your preference for this Cinnamon Roll Cake!

Quick Tip

A resealable plastic bag makes a great disposable piping bag for the frosting! Just remember to cut a very small tip off–you’ll be surprised how much it spreads!

Process shots-- images of the frosting being put into a bag to frost

Adding Frosting To The Cinnamon Roll Cake

Two options:

  1. Spread the frosting across the cake with a table knife.
  2. To get that classic cinnamon roll swirl, transfer the frosting to a piping bag or resealable plastic bag. Cut the tip off the bag and pipe the frosting around the cake.

Overhead image of the Cinnamon Roll Cake with frosting swirled on top

Storage

Cinnamon Roll Cake Storage

This cake is best enjoyed the same day it’s made, especially while warm. Like most homemade cinnamon rolls, this is particularly true with this cake because we’re using biscuits. The biscuits will harden and lose flavor the longer the cake sits out.

Image of a bite of the cake being taken out

More Cinnamon Roll Favorites:

4.95 from 18 votes

Cinnamon Roll Cake

This Cinnamon Roll Cake is a game-changer: no yeast, no rising, no hassle! It comes together fast and bakes quicker than traditional cinnamon rolls. Top with quick cream cheese frosting and get ready to fall in love!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6 9-inch pie pan (or smaller skillet)

Equipment

  • Pie or cake pan or skillet -- really any size works! (See Note 1)

Ingredients  

Cinnamon Roll Cake

  • 2 pkgs. (7.5 ounces each) Buttermilk Biscuits Note 1
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 3/4 cup white, granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon

Frosting

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 ounces full-fat brick-style cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350ยฐF. Grease a pie pan, cake pan, or skillet with cooking spray.
  • Remove biscuits from packages. Flatten each biscuit with a rolling pin or your hands.
  • Dip each biscuit in melted butter, shake off excess, then coat generously in cinnamon sugar. Shake off excess. (See Note 2.)
  • Tightly roll each biscuit and place them in a spiral pattern in the pan, starting from the outside and working inward.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes. Adjust time for pan size. If the edges cook faster, tent them with foil.
  • Meanwhile, use a hand mixer to beat together softened cream cheese and butter until smooth. Mix in vanilla extract, salt, and powdered sugar until creamy.
  • Optional: transfer frosting to a piping bag or resealable plastic bag, cut off the tip, and pipe across the cake. Alternatively, spread frosting with a table knife.
  • Remove the cake and let it cool for 5-7 minutes before frosting. Pipe frosting over the cake, slice, and serve warm for the best taste!

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1:ย Quantities:ย This recipe is flexibleโ€”as long as you have enough butter, sugar, cinnamon, and biscuits, you can adjust the size. We often use a small 6 to 8-inch cast iron skillet, but for larger servings, a 9-inch pie pan works well. Just melt more butter and mix extra cinnamon and sugar if needed. The recipe quantities are for an 8-inch skillet, with a few leftover biscuits for Air Fryer Donuts!
Note 2: Cinnamon-sugar blend:ย Depending on how generous you are with the butter and cinnamon-sugar mixture, you might need more or have some left over. Extra cinnamon-sugar can be added to microwave oatmeal. If the butter hardens before you've finished coating the biscuits, simply microwave it again briefly.

Nutrition

Calories: 570kcal | Carbohydrates: 81g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 700mg | Potassium: 182mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 47g | Vitamin A: 482IU | Vitamin C: 0.05mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Meet Chelsea


Hello, and welcome to Chelseaโ€™s Messy Apron! Iโ€™m Chelsea, the recipe developer, food photographer, and writer behind the site. Iโ€™m passionate about creating simple, reliable, and delicious recipes that anyone can make.

Thanks for stopping byโ€”I hope you find something delicious to make!

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4.95 from 18 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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147 Comments

  1. Kris says:

    Can’t wait to try this recipe. I care for my granddaughters before school, and this would be a perfect breakfast treat! Thanks Chelsea, and have a great day ๐Ÿ™‚

    1. Chelsea says:

      I can’t wait to hear what they think! ๐Ÿ™‚

      1. Kris says:

        5 stars
        Hi again! Just wanted to let you know that this recipe was a total success in terms of time, flavor, and ooooooh so gooey! One girl loved it, one not as much as she is not a “sweet” person! Thank you so much, Chelsea, this is a perfect go-to recipe for early morning treats!

        1. Chelsea says:

          I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks Kris! ๐Ÿ™‚

  2. Genie Ford says:

    Bless your heart. I have an even easier recipe.
    One (or more depending on size of pan or skillet and number of people) can of frosted cinnamon rolls
    Open and separate the rolls
    Leave frosting out to warm
    Then place one whole cinnamon roll in the center
    Wrap it with unrolled cinnamon rolls
    Bake per directions
    Over campfire in dutch oven or in propane oven or convection tabletop oven
    Spread frosting on top when done…
    That’s it. Easy peasy. Been doing this for years. .

  3. Kathy says:

    Where are the instructions for stovetop preparation?

    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      This can’t be made on the stovetop; it needs to be baked ๐Ÿ™‚

  4. Juliana says:

    Hey Chelsea. What is the weight of the biscuit packages you used? Or how many biscuits in each? I am in Canada and our package sizes are usually different so Iโ€™m just wondering so I can make sure I buy the right amount. Thanks!

  5. Emily says:

    Could you do these on the stovetop? I found this recipe with our RV share website. It would be easier in the RV on the stove instead of oven. What do you think?

    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      Honestly not sure that would work, sorry!