Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Cake | The Recipe Critic

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This pumpkin cinnamon roll cake is a perfectly moist pumpkin cake with pockets of swirled cinnamon and brown sugar topped with a maple glaze. It tastes just like you are eating a cinnamon roll! This is one of the best fall cakes!

This recipe is like taking the best of two worlds, absolutely perfect pumpkin bread and quick and easy cinnamon rolls, and combining them to make this AMAZING cake. You are going to love it!

Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Cake

This decadent, moist cake is such a beautiful cross between a cinnamon roll and cake you know if you should eat it for breakfast or dessert. I suggest both! It starts with a perfect pumpkin cake. This cake is so moist and delicious. But the brown sugar cinnamon mixture swirled throughout it the BEST!!

Just when you think it can’t get any better, THEN you drizzle it in a maple glaze, and that seeps down into the cake, creating the best complimentary flavors. It tastes just like a cinnamon roll in cake form and is one of the best things that I will EVER have. You will not regret making this cake. You will make it again and again! This is the kind of cake that you can’t get enough of and then you secretly lock yourself in your closet to eat it.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Cake Ingredients

These ingredients are probably all ones that you have on hand during the fall season. So why not make this delicious cake with them? Check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact measurements.

• Flour: All-purpose or unbleached flour provides a strong structure for this cake.
• Salt: The salt enhances all of the flavors in the ingredients.
• Sugar: The sugar provides sweetness and moisture.
• Baking Powder: This acts as a raising agent for the cake to make it light and fluffy.
• Cinnamon, Nutmeg: The perfect combination of spices for pumpkin. Use homemade pumpkin spice if you really want that fall flavor to shine through!
• Eggs: I always like to use large eggs when I am baking.
• Milk: You can use Skim, 1 percent, 2 percent, or whole milk in this recipe.
• Canned Pumpkin: Not to be confused with pumpkin pie filling! You can make your own pumpkin puree using this recipe!
• Vanilla: This adds the best flavoring to the cake.
• Butter: The butter adds moisture and a velvety richness.

Cinnamon Sugar Topping

• Butter: Let the butter sit out beforehand so that it can soften to room temperature.
• Brown Sugar: Dark brown sugar provides a deep rich flavor.
• Flour: Creates a bit of thickness to help it stick.
• Cinnamon: You can’t have a cinnamon cake without some cinnamon!

Glaze

• Powdered Sugar: Sift the powdered sugar for best results.
• Maple Syrup: If you don’t have any pure maple syrup on hand, then you can make some easy imitation maple syrup with this recipe!
• Milk: I used 1 percent, but you can use whatever you have on hand.
• Vanilla: Add a splash of vanilla for some delicious flavor.

Making Cinnamon Roll Cake

Not only does this cake use simple pantry ingredients, but it’s super easy to make too! Delicious and easy, make this recipe a win-win!

1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13 inch pan and set it aside. 
2. Stir together the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
3. Mix wet ingredients: In a medium bowl whisk eggs, milk, pumpkin, and vanilla. Then you slowly stir in melted butter.
4. Combine: Combine wet ingredients with the flour mixture and then mix until combined. It will be stiff. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
5. Drop and swirl: In a medium bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Then, drop by tablespoons over the cake and swirl with a knife.
6. Bake: Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until the toothpick comes out nearly clean from the center. 
7. Drizzle: Place powdered sugar, maple syrup, milk, and vanilla in a large bowl. Whisk until smooth. Drizzle over warm cake and then serve warm or at room temperature.