Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake (Printable View)
Moist cinnamon-swirl cake studded with gooey cinnamon pockets and topped with tangy cream cheese frosting.
# What You'll Need:
→ Cake
01 - 1 box (15.25 oz) vanilla or white cake mix
02 - 3 large eggs
03 - 1 cup milk
04 - 1/3 cup vegetable oil
05 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
→ Cinnamon Filling
06 - 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
07 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
08 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
→ Cream Cheese Frosting
09 - 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
10 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
11 - 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
12 - 2 tablespoons milk
13 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed until batter is smooth, about 2 minutes. Pour batter evenly into the prepared baking dish and smooth the top.
03 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
04 - While the cake bakes, combine brown sugar and ground cinnamon in a small bowl. Stir in melted butter to form a thick paste.
05 - Immediately after removing cake from oven, use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes all over the surface, spacing holes approximately 1 inch apart.
06 - Spoon or drizzle the cinnamon filling over the warm cake, ensuring the filling seeps into the holes. Let cake cool completely in the pan.
07 - In a medium mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and softened butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract; beat until creamy and spreadable.
08 - Spread frosting evenly over cooled cake. Slice into portions and serve.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It has all the cozy flavor of a fresh cinnamon roll, but with the ease and speed of a simple cake mix.
- Those sweet pockets of cinnamon surprise always seem to win over any crowd, especially when topped with a tangy cream cheese frosting.
02 -
- The cake must be warm—not hot—before adding the cinnamon filling, or it melts straight through to the bottom instead of marbling inside.
- Chilling the frosting for ten minutes before spreading makes decorating easier and keeps it from sliding off the cake.
03 -
- Sifting cake mix and powdered sugar has made for the fluffiest, best-textured cake every single time.
- A little extra cinnamon sprinkled on the frosting just before serving is my quiet secret for bigger flavor and a bakery-look finish.