Easy Snickerdoodle Bundt Cake Recipe Made with a Cake Mix
Do you want to know what is better than a cookie? Cookie flavors baked into a moist and delicious Bundt cake! Snickerdoodles are one of my all time favorite cookies. The cinnamon and sugar can’t be beat but adding all of that to a cake is over the top heaven. This Snickerdoodle Bundt Cake is made with a cake mix, so it is so simple. What sets this Bundt cake apart however, is the cinnamon sugar swirl that is baked inside of the cake. With every single bite you get pockets of buttery cinnamon goodness. AMAZING!
Do you love Bundt cakes? Try this Texas Sheet Cake Bundt Cake Recipe!
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The Best & Easiest Snickerdoodle Bundt Cake
What makes this Bundt cake the best and easiest you might be asking? The answers are simple. First of all, the recipe starts with a cake mix but by adding things like buttermilk to the cake batter you would never know it!
The cinnamon swirl throughout the cake is also a standout. As the combination of ingredients bakes into the Bundt cake it becomes little buttery pockets of cinnamon goodness that you don’t want to miss.
Finally, the finishing touch of the cream cheese glaze and cinnamon sugar mixture make this Snickerdoodle cake perfection. The slight tanginess of the cream cheese in the frosting is such a good contrast to the sugary topping. I can’t wait for you to try it for yourself.
Ingredients Needed to make this Snickerdoodle Bundt Cake
Vanilla Cake
- Vanilla Cake Mix-The absolute perfect starting point for this Snickerdoodle cake.
- Eggs-Adding eggs to this cake gives it a light texture and rich flavor.
- Vegetable Oil-Melted butter can also be substituted and added to give this cake a great moist texture.
- Buttermilk-Used instead of water, buttermilk gives this cake a wonderful “homemade” flavor.
- Vanilla Extract-Added to enhance the vanilla flavor.
Cinnamon Swirl
- Brown Sugar-I prefer to use dark brown sugar but light brown sugar works great too.
- All Purpose Flour-Adding a bit of flour gives the cinnamon sugar mixture a good consistency that won’t bake into the cake and will keep its shape.
- Cinnamon-You can’t have a Snickerdoodle without cinnamon and this cinnamon swirl is a great way to get it.
- Butter-Melting butter and adding it to the cinnamon mixture is a great way to get flavor and a good texture.
Cream Cheese Glaze and Cinnamon Sugar
- Cream Cheese-Used for a tangy flavor to help balance a sweet cake.
- Butter-Added to the frosting in a softened form to give it a great creamy consistency.
- Vanilla Extract-Again, we are enhancing the flavor and keeping the vanilla flavor from the cake going onto the glaze.
- Powdered Sugar-For sweetness without a granulated texture.
- Sanding or Granulated Sugar-Sanding sugar is what I have used here but you could also use granulated sugar.
- Cinnamon-For the iconic cinnamon sugar topping that we know and love about Snickerdoodle cookies.
How to make a Snickerdoodle Bundt Cake with a Cake Mix
- Combine the cake mix, eggs, oil, buttermilk and vanilla extract in a large bowl and mix using a hand held {or stand} mixer. Set aside.
- In a small bowl combine the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and melted butter. Stir until you have a nice cinnamon swirl mixture.
- In your prepared Bundt pan pour half of the cake batter. Top with about half of the cinnamon swirl mixture. Use a toothpick or knife to swirl the cinnamon mixture into the cake batter.
- Repeat step 3 with the remaining batter and cinnamon swirl mixture.
- Bake in a 350 degree oven for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with only a few crumbs {but not any raw batter}.
- Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes. Then invert the cake onto your serving plate and allow it to cool completely.
- While the cake is cooling, combine the sanding sugar {or granulated sugar} and cinnamon in a small bowl and stir until evenly combined.
- Also start on the glaze. Combine the softened cream cheese and butter with a hand held mixer until creamy and smooth. Add the vanilla extract and powdered sugar, continue to mix until you have a nice frosting. If it is too thick you can use a little milk to thin it or you can microwave the glaze for about 20 seconds.
Finishing your Bundt Cake
To finish the cake, put the cream cheese glaze in a piping {or zipper} bag and cut a triangle from the bottom. Use a zig zag motion to cover the top of the cake. Then add as much of the cinnamon sugar mixture as you desire.
5 Top Tips for the Perfect Snickerdoodle Bundt Cake
I know that baking in a Bundt pan can seem a bit intimidating but it doesn’t have to be. Using a Bundt pan to bake your cakes in is a fabulous way to take your cake to the next level without any added work. Here are my tips for the perfect Bundt cake.
- Choose a good quality Bundt pan. A heavy, nonstick Bundt pan will give you a good end result and is worth the bit of extra money. The good news is that they last forever and so it is definitely worth the investment.
- Grease the pan well. Just because the pan is nonstick doesn’t mean that you don’t need to prepare it for baking. Spraying your Bundt pan with a good nonstick spray is super important to be sure that your cake releases from the pan nicely. You can also spray the pan and then flour it for an extra step.
- Don’t overfill the Bundt pan. Cakes are going to rise and Bundt cakes can take awhile to bake, so be sure to only fill it to about 2/3 full. Overfilling the pan can result in the cake rising over the pan or not baking properly. The good news is that a standard cake mix is the perfect amount of cake batter for your Bundt pan.
- Allow the cake to cool for the recommended amount of time. It is important that you don’t rush turning your cake out of the pan. Give the cake at least 15 minutes and in some cases, an hour before turning it out onto your serving tray.
- Gently help the cake out of the pan if needed. Sometimes a Bundt cake will stick in a spot and you might need to run a knife around the edges of the pan to help it release.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can I make this in a 9×13 baking pan?
Yes, you can bake this cake in a 9×13 baking pan. Just know that you will probably not use all of the cinnamon swirl mixture because it will only be one layer. I would also adjust the baking time to 25-30 minutes.
What is sanding sugar?
It is large-crystal sugar that is normally used for decorating and comes in different colors. For this recipe I used the clear sugar and added cinnamon.
It can be found in the baking section of the supermarket with the sprinkles. Using it for the topping of this Snickerdoodle Bundt Cake gives the topping a wonderful texture that you can’t get from regular granulated sugar.
Does this Snickerdoodle Bundt Cake freeze well?
This Snickerdoodle Bundt Cake will freeze well for up to 3 months. I suggest freezing the cake without the cream cheese glaze for best results.
Add the glaze and cinnamon sugar topping after the cake is defrosted and before serving.
Do you love baking Bundt cakes? Try these Easy and Delicious recipes…
- Texas Sheet Cake Bundt Cake Recipe
- Kentucky Butter Bundt Cake Recipe Made with a Cake Mix
- Blueberry Bundt Cake with a Cake Mix
- Churro Bundt Cake Made with a Cake Mix
- Peanut Butter Texas Sheet Cake Bundt Cake Recipe Made with a Cake Mix
- Strawberry Bundt Poke Cake with Jello
Easy Snickerdoodle Bundt Cake made with a Cake Mix
Ingredients
Vanilla Cake
- 1 box vanilla cake mix {15.25 ounces}
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cinnamon Swirl
- ½ cup brown sugar {packed}
- â…“ cup all purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
- â…“ cup butter {melted}
Cream Cheese Glaze
- 8 ounces cream cheese {softened}
- ½ cup butter {softened}
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Cinnamon Sugar Mixture
- â…“ cup sugar {granulated or sanding}
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° and prepared Bundt pan by spraying it liberally with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
Vanilla Cake
- In a large bowl combine vanilla cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil, buttermilk and vanilla. Mix together using a hand held {or stand} mixer until you have a thick cake batter and everything is combined. Set aside.
Cinnamon Swirl
- Combine brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and melted butter in a small bowl and stir until all of the ingredients are combined.
Cake Assembly and Baking
- Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared pan. Spoon over half of the cinnamon swirl mixture. Use a toothpick or skewer to swirl the cinnamon mixture throughout the batter. Pour the remaining cake batter in the pan {and on top of the cake batter and cinnamon mixture}, top with the remaining cinnamon swirl mixture and repeat swirling it into the cake batter.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few crumbs {but not any raw batter}. Remove from the oven an allow the cake to cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, invert the cake onto your serving plate and allow it to cool completely.
Cream Cheese Glaze
- Combine softened cream cheese and butter in a bowl and mix using a hand held mixer until smooth. Add vanilla extract and powdered sugar, continue to mix until you have a frosting consistency. Note: If the frosting is too thick, you can add a tablespoon of milk or even microwave for 20 seconds.
- Add the cream cheese glaze to a piping {or zipper} bag and cut a triangle from the bottom. Using a zigzag motion, cover the top of the cake with the cream cheese glaze.
Cinnamon Sugar Mixture
- Working while the glaze is not set up, combine the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl and mix until everything is evenly distributed. Sprinkle as much as you desire of the mixture over the top of the cake. Serve or store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
