Make-Ahead Cinnamon Swirl Breakfast Bundt Cake

This cinnamon swirl breakfast bundt cake has a tender, buttery crumb and a ribbon of brown sugar cinnamon running through every slice. It bakes up tall and golden in a bundt pan, then gets a simple powdered sugar glaze that sets just enough to look pretty but stays soft underneath.

You can make it the night before, and it tastes even better the next morning. Slice it up alongside coffee, fresh fruit, or scrambled eggs for a breakfast that feels special without much fuss.

What Makes This Cake a Keeper

The texture lands right between a classic coffee cake and a soft pound cake. Sour cream does the heavy lifting, giving the crumb a fine, tender bite that holds together well when you cut it but almost melts on your tongue.

The cinnamon swirl is generous and slightly crunchy from a touch of melted butter in the streusel. It ribbons through the batter in wide, imperfect streaks, so every piece gets a different ratio of sweet spice to plain cake. That contrast is what keeps you going back for another slice.

I like that it’s sturdy enough to pack up or bring to a brunch table, yet still feels homemade and a little rustic. The glaze adds a light sweetness that ties everything together without turning it into dessert.

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour: spooned and leveled, not scooped from the bag
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened: bring to room temperature about 1 hour before starting
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup full-fat sour cream: the full-fat version keeps the cake soft and rich
• For the streusel: ½ cup packed light brown sugar, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• For the glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 to 3 tbsp whole milk, plus a pinch of salt

Variations / Substitutions

• Swap the sour cream: use plain full-fat Greek yogurt in the same amount and the cake will be just as tender.
• Add nuts: fold ½ cup toasted chopped pecans or walnuts into the streusel for a little crunch.
• Make it fruity: toss 1 cup fresh blueberries with 1 tsp flour, then fold into the batter before layering. They sink a bit, so scatter them over the bottom layer.
• Dairy-free option: use a stick-style vegan butter, dairy-free yogurt, and a milk alternative for the glaze. The crumb will be slightly less rich but still good.
• Gluten-free: a good 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour blend works here with no other changes.

This cake reminds me of our classic coffee cake, but the bundt shape makes it feel a little more dressed up.

How to Make Breakfast Bundt Cake

Step 1: Mix the Streusel

In a small bowl, stir together the ½ cup brown sugar, 2 tsp cinnamon, and 2 tbsp melted butter with a fork. Break up any lumps with your fingers until the mixture looks like damp, dark sand and clumps together when you squeeze it. Set the bowl aside.

The melted butter helps the streusel hold its shape during baking, so you get defined swirls instead of loose sugar that sinks to the bottom. Work quickly before the butter cools and hardens.

Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugar

Place the ¾ cup softened butter and 1 cup granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until the mixture is pale, smooth, and visibly fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape the bowl once halfway through.

Add the 2 eggs one at a time, beating well after each. The batter will look a little curdled at first, but it will smooth out as the eggs incorporate. Finally, beat in the 1 ½ tsp vanilla.

Step 3: Layer the Batter and Streusel

In a medium bowl, whisk together the 2 ½ cups flour, 2 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda, and ½ tsp salt. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the 1 cup sour cream. Start and end with the flour. Stop mixing as soon as no dry streaks remain. The batter will be thick and stiff.

Grease a 10- to 12-cup bundt pan thoroughly with butter or nonstick spray, then dust it lightly with flour. Tap out any excess flour. Spread a little less than half the batter into the bottom of the pan, using an offset spatula to push it evenly into the grooves. Sprinkle half the streusel over the batter, keeping it away from the pan’s outer edge so it doesn’t stick and tear the cake later. Top with the remaining batter, then finish with the last of the streusel. Use a butter knife to gently swirl through the layers two or three times; don’t overdo it.

Step 4: Bake the Cake

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the lower third. Bake the cake for 50 to 55 minutes. The top will be deeply golden and a toothpick inserted near the center should come out with just a few moist crumbs.

Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for exactly 10 minutes. Any longer and the sugar from the streusel can harden and glue the cake to the pan. After 10 minutes, invert the pan onto the rack and lift it off. If the cake sticks at all, give the pan a few firm taps on the counter. Allow the cake to cool completely, about 1 hour, before glazing.

Step 5: Glaze and Slice

Stir together the 1 cup powdered sugar, a pinch of salt, and 2 tbsp milk in a small bowl. Add an extra ½ to 1 tbsp milk if the glaze is too thick to drizzle. You want it thin enough to fall off the spoon in a steady ribbon but thick enough to set without running right off.

Set the cooled cake on a serving plate and drizzle the glaze over the top in long back-and-forth motions. Let it set for about 10 minutes, then slice into thick wedges with a serrated knife. The crumb will be soft, golden, and striped with dark cinnamon spirals.

Tips for a Bundt Cake That Slides Right Out

• Grease every nook of the pan by hand with soft butter, then dust with flour. Cooking spray with flour works in a pinch, but butter and flour give the most reliable release.
• Don’t skip the 10-minute cooling window before inverting. Hot cakes are too fragile, and cold cakes seize up and stick.
• If the cake top domes unevenly, don’t level it. The bundt shape means that domed side becomes the bottom, sitting flat on the plate.
• A light touch when swirling the streusel is key. Too much mixing and you’ll lose the defined ribbon.

Bake times for different pan sizes:

Keeping Leftover Cake Fresh

Store the cake covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, wrap it tightly and refrigerate for up to a week. The cake also freezes well. Wrap unglazed slices individually, then thaw at room temperature and glaze before serving. To rewarm a slice, microwave it for 15 to 20 seconds.

What to Serve With Breakfast Bundt Cake

Strong black coffee cuts through the sweetness perfectly, while a bowl of plain Greek yogurt with a drizzle of honey balances the meal. Fresh berries or sliced oranges add a bright, juicy contrast that wakes up the whole plate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add blueberries or chopped apples to this cake?

Yes. Toss 1 cup of fresh blueberries or small-diced apples with 1 tsp flour, then fold them into the finished batter before layering. The flour coating helps them hold their place.

Can I use oil instead of butter in the batter?

You can, but the cake will lose some of its structure and that buttery flavor. The crumb may be a little more coarse, and the cake won’t rise quite as high.

Can I bake this the night before and glaze it in the morning?

Absolutely. Bake the cake, let it cool completely, then wrap it in plastic overnight at room temperature. In the morning, make the glaze and drizzle it right on. The cake will still taste fresh.

Why did my cake stick to the pan even though I greased it?

Small grooves in a bundt pan can hide missed spots. Butter every crevice by hand with a pastry brush or your fingers, then dust with flour and shake it around. Tap out the excess; any white flour spots that remain are fine and will bake off.

Breakfast Bundt Cake Recipe

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Servings: 12 servings

Calories: 340

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup full-fat sour cream
• ½ cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted (for streusel)
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 to 3 tbsp whole milk
• Pinch of salt

Method

 

1. Stir brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter for streusel until clumpy; set aside.
2. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla.
3. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to butter mixture in three additions alternating with sour cream. Mix just until combined.
4. Grease and flour a 10- to 12-cup bundt pan. Spread half the batter in the pan, top with half the streusel, repeat layers, and swirl lightly with a knife.
5. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake 50 to 55 minutes until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then invert onto a rack to cool completely.
6. Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and a pinch of salt. Drizzle over cooled cake. Let set 10 minutes, then slice.

Notes

The cake tastes best the day after baking, once the cinnamon and brown sugar have had time to meld with the crumb. For a glossy glaze, add the milk a little at a time and stop when the drips fall in slow, thick ribbons.