Cinnamon Roll Cake (Vegan)
This moist, fluffy and tender Cinnamon Roll Cake has a vanilla almond flour sponge base with a cinnamon swirl baked into it all smothered with vanilla icing sugar glaze for the best vegan seasonal bake.
I love cake and I also love cinnamon rolls, so it seemed like a no brainer to combine them into one delicious dessert or afternoon tea treat. This cake is loaded with autumn/fall flavours from the cinnamon swirl and the vanilla bean glaze. While I love this cold with the icing sugar all over it, you can also enjoy this cake warm with some dairy-free custard or ice cream, too, for a fun dessert this season. You will also not believe it’s made without eggs or dairy as it has the best texture and it comes together in less than 10 minutes.
Why will I love this cake?
This cake is amazing:
- Moist, fluffy and spongey
- Tastes like vanilla almond cake meets cinnamon bun
- With a delicious cinnamon swirl
- Topped with vanilla bean sticky icing sugar glaze
- Much easier than cinnamon rolls to make
- Comes together using one cake batter
- Naturally egg-free, dairy-free and vegan
- Made in one bowl with a spoon and whisk
- With nut-free options
- Try it with GF flour too
- No fancy equipment needed
- Made with olive oil and not butter
- Great for the season
- Delicious with a cup of tea or coffee
- Ideal as a dessert
- Enjoy warm with custard or ice cream
If you already love the sound of this cake, then skip ahead to the recipe card below. Or, first let’s discuss the recipe in more detail.
What ingredients do I need?
You can see the ingredients with weights in the recipe card below and my favourite and recommended products in the “shop the recipe” section.
For the cake:
- Plant-based milk and apple cider vinegar: this reacts to form a curdled buttermilk which is great for egg-free batters. Use your preferred dairy-free milk like soya, oat or almond.
- Light brown and caster sugar: the mix of the two is great for a richer colour and flavour (light brown sugar) without been too heavy as the caster sugar makes it lighter.
- Thick dairy-free yoghurt: this adds fat and moisture to the cake and I use Cocos Organic or NUSH almond-based yoghurt, both of which focus on simple ingredients without additives.
- Light olive oil: instead of butter, while making it rich, moist and tender.
- Vanilla extract: for flavour.
- Self-raising flour: for a really soft sponge.
- Almond flour: this adds a lovely soft texture to the sponge cake.
- Baking powder and bicarbonate of soda: for the rise.
- Salt: to add flavour.
- Cinnamon: for flavour.
As for the glaze:
- Icing sugar: the key to all good glazes.
- Water: to thin the glaze.
- Vanilla bean powder: to make the glaze vanilla-y.
Is this gluten-free and nut-free?
You can make this gluten-free using a GF self-raising flour than contains xanthan gum but note that I have not tried this myself, but this is based off similar recipes. To make it nut-free, swap the ground almonds for more flour.
How do I make this?
This cake is ready in a few steps:
- Combine the milk and vinegar: and leave for 5 minutes to curdle.
- Whisk together the wet ingredients: to combine.
- Sift in the dry ingredients: and whisk again.
- Scoop out some batter and add the cinnamon: to make the swirl.
- Place the cinnamon batter into a piping bag: and snip off the end.
- Pour the plain cake batter into the tin and swirl on the cinnamon batter: using the piping bag.
- Bake in the oven: for 32 minutes or until well-risen and spongey to touch.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the tin: and then cool fully on a wire rack.
- Make the glaze and spread over the cake: allowing the edges to drip down.
- Serve and slice: or save for later.
How long will it last?
This cake will keep for 3-5 days in a sealed container, in the fridge overnight, but best enjoyed at room temperature.
What other bakes can I try?
For other seasonal recipes:
- Pear Chocolate Chunk and Almond Cake
- Pistachio Raisin Crumble Cake
- Spiced Maple Pecan Oat Cookies
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Cupcakes
- Baklava-Style Banana Bread
Cinnamon Roll Cake (Vegan)
This moist, fluffy and tender Cinnamon Roll Cake has a vanilla almond flour sponge base with a cinnamon swirl baked into it all smothered with vanilla icing sugar glaze for the best vegan seasonal bake.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 240ml plant-based milk
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 50g light brown sugar
- 50g caster sugar
- 80g thick dairy-free yoghurt
- 80ml light olive oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 250g self-raising flour
- 50g ground almonds/almond flour or vanilla protein powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- A pinch of salt
For the Swirl:
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp dairy-free milk
For the Glaze:
- 60g icing sugar
- 1 tsp water
- Pinch of vanilla extract or powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160Fan/180ºC and line a 20-cm/8-inch round tin with parchment paper.
- Combine the milk and vinegar in a jug and leave for 5 minutes to curdle.
Into a large mixing bowl, add both sugars, yoghurt, olive oil, vanilla and the milk mix. Whisk to combine. - Sift in the flour and add the ground almonds, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Whisk to a smooth, thick batter (do not overmix).
- Scoop out 80g of the mix into a smaller bowl and to this, add the cinnamon and milk splash for the swirl. Whisk until smooth and the same thickness as the original cake. Place in a piping bag.
- Pour the plain cake batter into the tin and smooth over the top.
- Cut off the end of the piping bag so you have a medium-sized hole and pipe on the cinnamon batter in a swirl pattern.
- Bake in the oven for 32 minutes, or until well-risen and an inserted skewer comes out clean. I like to cover the cake after 20 minutes so it doesn’t brown too much.
- Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes and then carefully lift out to cool fully on the wire rack.
- Enjoy warm now or allow to cool.
- Combine the icing sugar, water and vanilla for the glazer and spoon over the cake. Slice to serve.
- Keep leftovers in a sealed container for 3-5 days, in the fridge overnight but nest enjoyed at room temperature. You can freeze the cake for 1 month, wrapped well, and allow to defrost before eating.
Shop the recipe
Stay in touch
I look forward to hearing what you think of this Cinnamon Roll Cake so please let me know in the comments below and leave a star review above. If you do make this cake, I’d love to see so please tag me, I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest – please say hello!
With cinny roll love x
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