Cinnamon-Swirl Snickerdoodle Bundt Cake

This Snickerdoodle Bundt Cake bakes the beloved cinnamon-sugar cookie flavors into a tall, tender cake with a buttery crumb and a dark cinnamon ribbon through the center.

It’s the kind of no-fuss dessert that looks impressive but comes together with simple pantry ingredients and a bundt pan.

Why This Bundt Cake Is a Keeper

The cake stays moist for days thanks to buttermilk and a generous amount of butter, so you can bake it ahead without worry. The crumb is soft and fine, almost like a pound cake, but lighter.

That cinnamon swirl stays distinct from the batter, creating a clear stripe in every slice. And the final coating of cinnamon sugar gives the outside a crackly, cookie-like crust you expect from a real snickerdoodle.

You get all the warm spice you want without frosting, making it an easy showstopper for brunch or after dinner.

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups (315 g) all-purpose flour: spooned and leveled; do not pack
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar, plus ¼ cup (50 g) for the coating
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature: shake or stir it well before measuring
• For the swirl: ⅓ cup (70 g) packed light brown sugar, 2 tbsp ground cinnamon, 1 tbsp all-purpose flour, 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• For the coating: 1 tbsp ground cinnamon mixed with the reserved ¼ cup sugar, and 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted, for brushing

Variations / Substitutions

• No buttermilk: stir 1 tbsp lemon juice into 1 cup whole milk and let it sit 5 minutes before using.
• Dairy-free: use a mild plant-based milk with 1 tbsp vinegar for the buttermilk, and swap the butter for a stick-style dairy-free butter alternative.
• Extra spice: add ¼ tsp fresh nutmeg to the batter for a rounder warmth.
• Nutty twist: fold ½ cup toasted chopped pecans into the batter before laying down the swirl.

A plain buttery pound cake works well with the same cinnamon sugar coating too, like a classic Sour Cream Pound Cake.

How to Make Snickerdoodle Bundt Cake

Step 1: Mix the Cinnamon Swirl

Stir together the ⅓ cup brown sugar, 2 tbsp cinnamon, and 1 tbsp flour in a small bowl. Drizzle in the 1 tbsp melted butter and mix until the mixture looks like damp sand with no dry pockets.

If it seems too powdery, add a tiny splash more melted butter. You want it to clump slightly when pressed, not pour like a sauce.

Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugar

Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). In a large bowl, beat the 1 cup softened butter with the 1 ½ cups granulated sugar on medium speed for about 3 minutes, scraping the bowl once. The mixture will turn pale and fluffy.

You should see the color lighten noticeably and the texture become airy. This step builds the cake’s structure, so don’t rush it.

Step 3: Finish the Cake Batter

Beat in the 3 eggs one at a time, then the 2 tsp vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together the 2 ½ cups flour, 1 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda, and ½ tsp salt. Add this dry mix to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the 1 cup buttermilk in two additions, starting and ending with the flour. Mix on low just until smooth after each addition.

The batter will be thick and velvety. Stop mixing as soon as no streaks of flour remain, or the cake can turn dense.

Step 4: Layer the Batter and Swirl

Generously grease a 10 to 12 cup bundt pan with shortening, then dust it with flour (or use a baking spray that contains flour). Spoon half the batter into the pan and spread it into an even layer. Sprinkle all the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over that batter. Top with the remaining batter and smooth the top.

Run a butter knife through the batter in a lazy zigzag pattern just 4 or 5 times. You’ll see ribbons of cinnamon peeking through the surface, and they’ll create a distinct swirl after baking.

Step 5: Bake the Cake

Bake until a long skewer or cake tester inserted near the center comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes. The edges will pull away from the pan slightly, and the top will feel springy when pressed.

Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for exactly 10 minutes. Leaving it longer makes the cinnamon sugar harder to stick, any shorter and the cake might break when turned out.

Step 6: Turn Out and Coat with Cinnamon Sugar

Invert the pan onto a serving plate to release the cake. While the cake is still warm, brush the entire outside generously with the 2 tbsp melted butter. Immediately sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture all over the buttered cake, turning the plate as you go so it catches every side.

The sugar melds into the warm butter and sets into a delicate crackly shell that tastes just like the cookie’s signature coating.

A Few Tips for Snickerdoodle Bundt Cake

• Grease the pan more thoroughly than you think you need to. Every nook of a bundt pan should have a solid layer of shortening and flour, or use a baking spray with flour, to guarantee a clean release.
• Room temperature ingredients are not fussy here, they actually keep the batter from curdling and help the cake rise evenly. Pull the butter, eggs, and buttermilk out about an hour ahead.
• If you want a stronger cinnamon flavor inside the cake itself, stir 1 tsp of cinnamon into the flour mixture in Step 3. The swirl carries most of the spice, so this deepens the warmth.
• For the neatest slices, let the cake cool completely before cutting. Warm cake crumbles more, though a bite right after coating is hard to resist.

Bake times for standard bundt pans:

Storing Leftover Snickerdoodle Cake

• Room temperature: Keep the cake under a cake dome or loosely covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. It stays soft and the crust remains crisp.
• Refrigerate: If your kitchen is warm, cover and chill for up to 5 days. The cinnamon sugar may soften slightly.
• Reheating: A single slice warmed for 10 to 15 seconds in the microwave freshens the butter flavor and makes the house smell like a bakery.

What to Serve With This Cake

A hot cup of black coffee cuts the sweetness and pulls out the cinnamon’s warmth. For a richer treat, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream while the cake is still a little warm, the cold cream melts into the crevices and contrasts the crackly crust. Whipped cream with a touch of maple syrup also works because the maple echoes the brown sugar in the swirl.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different pan?

Yes. You can bake this in two greased 9×5 inch loaf pans at 350°F for 40 to 50 minutes, or in a 9×13 inch pan for 30 to 35 minutes. The cinnamon sugar coating step stays the same.

Why did my cinnamon swirl sink to the middle in one dense layer?

The swirl mixture was probably too heavy or the batter too thin. Make sure you measure the flour carefully and that the batter is thick before layering. Also avoid dragging the knife all the way to the bottom, a shallow swirl keeps it suspended.

Can I freeze this cake?

Yes. Wrap the completely cooled, uncoated cake tightly in plastic wrap then foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight at room temperature, then brush with butter and coat with cinnamon sugar just before serving.

What if I want a glaze instead of the cinnamon sugar coating?

Skip the butter and cinnamon sugar step. Whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tbsp milk, and ¼ tsp cinnamon, and drizzle it over the completely cooled cake. The crackly crust won’t develop, but you’ll get a sweet cinnamon finish.

Snickerdoodle Bundt Cake Recipe

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Servings: 12 servings

Calories: 375

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 ½ cups (315 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk
• ⅓ cup (70 g) packed light brown sugar
• 3 tbsp ground cinnamon, divided
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour (for swirl)
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted, divided

Method

 

1. Stir together ⅓ cup brown sugar, 2 tbsp cinnamon, and 1 tbsp flour. Drizzle in 1 tbsp melted butter and mix until crumbly and damp.
2. Beat 1 cup butter and 1 ½ cups granulated sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
3. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla. Whisk 2 ½ cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add dry mix in three additions alternating with buttermilk in two, mixing just until smooth.
4. Grease and flour a 10-12 cup bundt pan. Spread half the batter in the pan, top with all the cinnamon mixture, then remaining batter. Run a knife through 4-5 times in a zigzag.
5. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 45-55 minutes, until a tester comes out clean. Cool in pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then invert onto a plate.
6. Brush warm cake with remaining 2 tbsp melted butter. Mix reserved ¼ cup sugar with 1 tbsp cinnamon and sprinkle all over the cake, turning to coat.

Notes

The cake is best the day you bake it, but it stays moist and tender for days. If you skip the cinnamon sugar coating, dust with powdered sugar before serving. To avoid a dense swirl, don’t press the sugar mixture into the batter; just sprinkle it evenly.