cinnamon swirl loaf cake
Fall baking means adding cinnamon to just about every dessert, and this cinnamon swirl loaf cake celebrates the cozy warming spice in the best way possible! Plush and buttery vanilla cake is paired with a cinnamon-sugar ribbon and topping for an effortless loaf cake that tastes just like freshly baked snickerdoodles.
Drizzled with vanilla glaze, you’ll love this easy loaf cake for breakfast or as an afternoon treat!
Perfect Cinnamon Swirl Cake
To make the cinnamon swirl, spoon half the batter into the loaf pan, smoothing with an offset spatula. Tap the pan sharply to reduce air bubbles. Sprinkle a generous layer of cinnamon-sugar over the batter. Spoon remaining cake batter into the pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula.
Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon-sugar over the top of the cake batter and bake until the cake is golden and the top springs back to the touch. As the cake bakes, the cinnamon-sugar topping forms the same signature ripples as snickerdoodle cookies. Let the cake cool completely, then drizzle with vanilla butter glaze!
Cinnamon Swirl Loaf Cake
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 42 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 2 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf, 12 slices
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
This simple and delicious cinnamon swirl loaf cake tastes like snickerdoodles! With a cinnamon-sugar swirl and vanilla glaze, you’ll love this easy cake.
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk, at room temperature
Cinnamon Sugar
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 tsp cinnamon
Glaze
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- pinch of salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 1/2 Tbsp milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, letting excess extend over sides of pan. Spray parchment paper lightly with nonstick spray.
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat butter and sugar in a large mixer bowl at medium speed until light and fluffy; beat in egg and vanilla. Combine yogurt and buttermilk in a small bowl. Reduce speed to low and add half of flour mixture, beating just to combine. Add yogurt mixture, then finish with remaining flour mixture.
- Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Spoon half the batter into prepared pan and smooth top with an offset spatula. Tap pan sharply to reduce air bubbles. Sprinkle 2 1/2 tablespoons of cinnamon sugar over the batter. Spoon the remaining batter evenly over the cinnamon sugar and smooth with an offset spatula; tap pan sharply again. Sprinkle remaining cinnamon sugar over the top of the batter.
- Bake for 42 to 45 minutes, until cake springs back to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes; carefully lift cake from pan and cool completely.
- For the glaze, whisk together melted butter, salt, vanilla, powdered sugar, and milk in a small bowl. Drizzle glaze over cake and and let set before serving.
Notes
The equipment section above contains affiliate links to products I use and love!
Keywords: Cinnamon, Sugar, Snickerdoodle, Loaf Cake, Pound Cake
Craving more cinnamon sugar?
Snickerdoodle Bundt Cake
Snickerdoodle Crumb Muffins
Brown Butter Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake
Almond Snickerdoodles
Pinned this right away!! SO SO GOOD!
Thank you so much! 🙂
The WHOLE family will inhale this! Need to make a double batch!
★★★★★
Perfect recipe for brunch! Definitely one to make again!!
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I love this cake for brunch! Thanks Jessica! 🙂
Amazing! I love this cake. So easy to make and so delicious. I like to add a little extra cinnamon because I love spice. 🙂
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Thank you so much, so glad you tried this recipe! 🙂
This is definitely a favourite at our home and I always bake a double batch or I’ll have some broken hearts! The last time I made it, I went a little creative and topped it with a Cinnamon Streusel Topping (1/4 cup all purpose flour, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 tbsp cinnamon powder, 1/4 cup melted butter and a pinch of salt all mixed together.) Drizzled with the icing sugar, it was divine!
★★★★★
I love that idea, thank you Sarah! 🙂
This is absolutely so delicate and delicious. It’s light and fluffy in texture. It’s buttery taste melts in the mouth! I recommend to everyone to try this recipe.
★★★★★
Thank you so much, Shauna! So happy you tried this cake! 🙂
DELICIOUS! Mine came out so moist and dense. I will definitely be keeping this recipe for future use!
★★★★★
I love this cake. It’s simple to make, and it comes out fluffy like a cinnamon roll. My husband’s taste buds thought it was so mouthwatering he ate half of it!
So happy to hear that, thank you Sandy! 🙂
Excellent loaf cake and perfect for fall baking. A keeper!
★★★★★
I’m so glad you loved this cake, Lana!
Can you replace the yogurt with sour cream?
Yes, sour cream should work! 🙂
Hi! I can’t wait to try this recipe! Can I substitute the 0% yoghurt with 2% yoghurt or mayo?
Hi! Yes you can substitute 2% yoghurt.
Wow looks delicious, I can’t wait to make this. Would mixing milk and lemon juice work as a substitute for buttermilk in this recipe because it’s hard to find it where I live.
Hi Gemma, yes you can make your own buttermilk substitute with 1/3 cup room temperature milk and 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar. Mix and let stand for 10 minutes before using.
Would you have any suggestions if we wanted to make this chocolate…the change in ingredient ratios?
Hi May, I would try my triple chocolate loaf cake: https://tutti-dolci.com/triple-chocolate-loaf-cake/
Hello! Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipe. I made this loaf cake several times during the pandemic for my family and we think it is absolutely delicious. Do you have any suggestions for converting it into a 2 layer cake? Thanks in advance!
★★★★★
Do you know how long this stays on counter & in fridge? Does it freeze well?
Hi Sandra, this loaf stays fresh for up to 2 days at room temperature, or several days in the refrigerator. You can also freeze it (I recommend freezing without the glaze). Happy baking!