Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Cake
This is pure genius, honestly. You get all the gooey, spiced goodness of a cinnamon roll wrapped up in a super moist, ridiculously simple pumpkin cake. We use a smart shortcut (no rolling dough, yay!) so it tastes like you spent the whole day baking, but it’s actually a total breeze. It's the definition of a cozy, no-fuss fall hug!
COST $10 - $15 (Can't beat that!)
Equipment
- A trusty 9x13 inch pan
- Your biggest mixing bowl
- An electric mixer or just a good whisk
- A little bowl for the swirl stuff
Ingredients
For the Cake Base
- 1 (15.25 oz) box Yellow or White Cake Mix Seriously, grab your fave brand!
- 1 cup Canned Pumpkin Purée Make sure it’s PURE pumpkin, not the pie filling!
- 3 large Eggs
- ½ cup Vegetable Oil
- 1 Tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice For maximum "smells like fall" vibes!
For the Cinnamon Swirl Filling
- ½ cup Brown Sugar packed
- 1 Tbsp Cinnamon
- ¼ cup Unsalted Butter, melted
For the Simple Glaze
- 1 cup Powdered Sugar
- 2-3 Tbsp Milk or Half-and-Half Adjust until it's perfectly drippy!
- ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
Instructions
Preheat & Prep (The Chill Start)
- Get that oven fired up to 350 F (175°C).
- Grab your 9x13 inch pan and give it a good spray with non-stick stuff. Pro tip: lining it with parchment paper makes cleanup way easier!
Mix the Cake Batter
- Dump the cake mix, pumpkin purée, eggs, oil, and pumpkin pie spice into your big bowl.
- Whip it good with your electric mixer (or just use a whisk if you need an arm workout!) on medium for about 2 minutes until everything’s nice and smooth.
- Pour about 2/3 of that pumpkin goodness into your prepared pan.
Make the Cinnamon Swirl
- In the small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter. Smells amazing already, right?
- Carefully plop spoonfuls of this cinnamon mixture all over the batter that's in the pan.
Finish and Bake
- Gently dollop the rest of the batter (that last 1/3) over the swirl layer. Don't worry about covering it perfectly—it’ll all melt together!
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Stick a toothpick in the middle; if it comes out mostly clean, you’re golden!
- Let the cake chill out on a wire rack for about 15 minutes.
Glaze Time!
- Whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until it’s smooth, and you get that perfect "drip."
- Drizzle the glaze all over the warm cake. Slice it up and serve it warm (best way!) or room temp. Get ready for the compliments!
Notes
Using a boxed cake mix isn't cheating! It saves you a ton of time measuring flour and sugar. Honestly, adding the pumpkin and all those spices makes it taste totally scratch-made anyway, so feel zero guilt!
Nutrition (Just an Estimate)
| Component | Amount |
| Calories | 350 kcal |
| Total Fat | 15 g |
| Carbs | 50 g |
| Protein | 4 g |