Fall Festival Cinnamon Roll Cake is what happens when classic cinnamon rolls take on a brand-new form; that of the three-tiered cake! The cake itself is tender and infused with warm, welcoming cinnamon and then soaked with a cinnamon-sugar glaze for extra cinnamon goodness. Coating the entirety of the cake, you’ll find a luxurious, rich, luscious cinnamon frosting. Fall Festival Cinnamon Roll Cake is a blue-ribbon winner of a cake!
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 6 large egg whites
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup milk, room temperature
- 1/4 cup water, room temperature
For the cinnamon frosting:
- 1 1/2 cups salted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable shortening
- 12 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more, to taste, for topping
- 1/4 milk
For the cinnamon-sugar glaze:
- 5 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons water
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 –Line the bottom of three (8-inch) cake pans with parchment paper and grease the sides.
Step 3 –In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add 3/4 cup of the unsalted butter and the granulated sugar, creaming them together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
Step 4 –Add the sour cream and 2 teaspoons of the vanilla to the butter mixture and mix until combined.
Step 5 –Add 3 of the egg whites to the butter mixture and mix until well-combined.
Step 6 –Add the remaining 3 egg whites and mix until well-combined.
Step 7 –Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is combined.
Step 8 –In a medium bowl, add the flour, the baking powder, 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon, the salt and whisk to combine.
Step 9 –In a small bowl, add 3/4 cup of the milk and 1/4 cup of the water.
Step 10 –With the stand mixer on low speed, add 1/2 of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until combined.
Step 11 –Add the milk mixture to the butter mixture and mix until combined.
Step 12 –Add the remaining flour mixture to the batter and mix until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Step 13 –Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cake pans.
Step 14 –Bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 23-25 minutes.
Step 15 –Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 2-3 minutes.
Step 16 –Transfer the cakes to wire racks to cool completely.
Step 17 –Clean out the bowl of the stand mixer and the paddle attachment.
Step 18 –In the bowl of the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add 1 1/2 cups of the salted butter and the shortening and beat together on medium speed until smooth.
Step 19 –Slowly add in 6 cups of the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
Step 20 –Add the remaining vanilla, 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon, and the remaining milk to the butter mixture and beat until smooth.
Step 21 –Slowly add in 6 cups of the powdered sugar and mix until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary until a frosting forms.
Step 22 –In a small bowl add the remaining powdered sugar, the brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of the cinnamon, and the remaining water and whisk until smooth. Set the glaze aside.
Step 23 –Using a large serrated knife, carefully remove the domes of the cakes so that they are flat.
Step 24 –Place the first cake on a serving plate and spread 2 1/2 tablespoons of the cinnamon sugar glaze over the cake layer.
Step 25 –Allow the glaze to soak into the cake.
Step 26 –Spread 1 cup of the frosting on top of the cake.
Step 27 –Place the second cake on top of the first cake and repeat the glaze-soaking and frosting processes.
Step 28 –Add the third cake on top of the second cake and repeat the glaze-soaking and frosting processes.
Step 29 –Frost the sides of the cake with the remaining frosting and optionally pipe decorations on the sides and top of the cake.
Step 30 –Slice and serve dusted with the extra cinnamon.
