Moist and Buttery Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake

This cinnamon swirl bundt cake is soft, buttery, and hides a ribbon of brown sugar cinnamon through every slice. It’s the kind of cake you pull out for a weekend brunch or a quiet afternoon with coffee.

The sour cream keeps it tender for days, and the swirl stays distinct and slightly gooey, not a faint wash of cinnamon. It looks impressive but comes together with a mixer and one pan.

What Makes This Bundt Cake So Good

The cake itself is rich and buttery, with a tight crumb that stays moist for days thanks to the sour cream. Every slice reveals a visible spiral of cinnamon sugar that tastes like the middle of a cinnamon roll.

Because you mix the swirl into a paste with melted butter, it doesn’t dissolve into the batter. You get clean, slightly gooey layers rather than a cinnamon haze that gets lost.

It bakes in a bundt pan without any complicated layering or frosting. Just a dusting of powdered sugar and you have a cake that looks special with barely more effort than a loaf.

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups (315g) all-purpose flour: spooned and leveled, not scooped
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened: room temperature for a smooth batter
• 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature: cold eggs can curdle the batter
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup (240g) full-fat sour cream: brings moisture and a tender crumb
• ½ cup (110g) packed light brown sugar: for the swirl
• 1 ½ tbsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted: binds the cinnamon sugar into a paste

Variations & Substitutions

• Sour cream: use full-fat Greek yogurt in the same amount
• Brown sugar swirl: stir ½ cup finely chopped pecans into the cinnamon mixture
• Dairy-free: swap the butter for a good plant-based stick and use dairy-free yogurt
• Spice: add ¼ tsp ground nutmeg or cardamom to the dry ingredients
• Larger pan: for a 12-cup bundt pan, increase all batter ingredients by 1.5 times and bake a few minutes longer

If you love this, try my Banana Bread recipe.

How to Make Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake

Step 1: Mix the Cinnamon Swirl

In a small bowl, stir together the ½ cup brown sugar, 1 ½ tbsp cinnamon, and 2 tbsp melted butter until the mixture looks like damp sand. It should hold together when pinched.

The butter keeps the swirl from turning into a dry pocket inside the cake. Set it aside while you make the batter.

Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugar

In a large bowl, beat the 1 cup softened butter and 1 ½ cups granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl once.

The mixture will lighten in color and grow in volume. This step traps air that gives the cake a tender crumb.

Step 3: Alternate Adding Dry and Wet Ingredients

Whisk together the 2 ½ cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the 1 cup sour cream, starting and ending with the flour. Mix just until the streaks of flour disappear.

Stop as soon as the batter comes together. Overmixing at this stage can make the cake dense and tough.

Step 4: Layer and Swirl the Batter

Spread half the batter into a well-greased and floured 10-cup bundt pan. Sprinkle the cinnamon paste evenly over the batter, then top with the remaining batter and smooth the surface. Insert a butter knife and make 3 or 4 figure-eight motions through the batter to swirl.

Don’t over-swirl. A few gentle passes create distinct ribbons of cinnamon, while too much mixing blends it into the batter.

Step 5: Bake and Turn Out the Cake

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. The top will be deeply golden and may have a small crack, which is normal.

Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then invert it onto the rack to cool completely. The cake should release with just a gentle tap, revealing a beautiful cinnamon streak all around.

Tips for a Clean Swirl

• Bring everything to room temperature: so the batter blends smoothly and bakes evenly.
• Grease the pan thoroughly. Use butter and a dusting of flour, or a baking spray with flour, getting into every crevice of the bundt pan.
• Limit the swirling. Three or four figure-eight passes with a butter knife are all you need, less than you think.
• Cool exactly 15 minutes in the pan. Any longer and the sugar can harden and stick, any less and the cake may break when you turn it out.
• Check doneness early. Start testing 5 minutes before the shortest bake time; an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center should read 200-205°F (93-96°C).

Use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness: the center should reach 200-205°F (93-96°C). Bake times vary by pan:

Storing Leftover Bundt Cake

• Room temperature: wrap the cooled cake tightly and keep it on the counter up to 3 days.
• Refrigerate: store well wrapped in the fridge up to 5 days, and bring slices to room temperature before serving.
• To reheat: warm individual slices in the microwave for 15 seconds or in a toaster oven until just heated through.
• Freeze: wrap the whole cake or slices in plastic and then foil, freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight on the counter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did my cinnamon swirl sink to the bottom?

The top batter may have been too heavy or you swirled too aggressively. Spread the top layer gently and use only a few figure-eight strokes.

Why is the cake dry?

Overbaking is the most likely cause. Start checking 5 minutes before the minimum time, and pull it when a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs, not wet batter.

Why did the cake crack too much on top?

A small crack is normal for bundt cakes, but a deep split often means the oven was running hot. Use an oven thermometer to confirm the temperature is 350°F.

Cinnamon Swirl 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: 390

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 ½ cups (315g) all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup (240g) full-fat sour cream
• ½ cup (110g) packed light brown sugar
• 1 ½ tbsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Method

 

1. Stir together brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter until it forms a damp paste. Set aside.
2. Beat softened butter and granulated sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time, then vanilla.
3. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With mixer on low, add dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with sour cream, starting and ending with flour. Mix just until combined.
4. Spread half the batter into a greased and floured 10-cup bundt pan. Sprinkle cinnamon paste over it, top with remaining batter, and swirl 3-4 times with a butter knife.
5. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes, then invert onto a rack to cool completely.

Notes

Dust the cooled cake with powdered sugar or drizzle with a simple glaze of 1 cup powdered sugar mixed with 1 to 2 tbsp milk. The cake stays moist at room temperature for a few days.