Mini snickerdoodle cake – Vanilla cinnamon cake that is moist and soft, with an incredible cinnamon sugar filling and the best brown sugar buttercream!
Looking for a new dessert to bring some holiday season joy to your table? This mini snickerdoodle cake takes the flavors of your favorite cookies and transforms them into a tender, soft vanilla cake with a delicious cinnamon swirl. Perfect for any gathering or even just to enjoy with family, this cake is packed with cinnamon sugar goodness. It’s everything you love about snickerdoodle cookies but in cake form. Let’s dive into how you can make this decadent cake right at home!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s inspired by the classic cookie, snickerdoodle, with a delicious cinnamon sugar swirl that runs through each bite.
- The cake has a soft, moist vanilla cake base, making it tender and flavorful.
- The cinnamon cream cheese frosting takes this cake recipe to the next level, adding richness and the perfect amount of sweetness.
- Easy to make with simple ingredients, yet fancy enough to serve for any occasion.
- This snickerdoodle cake is small enough to serve a few but can be doubled to make a full-sized layer cake.
Ingredients – mini snickerdoodle cake
I have provided som key ingredients for Mini Snickerdoodle Cake that you might not have on hand. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below!
- Unsalted butter, at room temperature
- Granulated sugar
- Egg whites, at room temperature
- Sour cream, at room temperature
- Pure vanilla extract
- Cake flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Ground cinnamon
- Buttermilk, at room temperature
- Light brown sugar
- All-purpose flour
- Ground cinnamon
- Melted butter
- Unsalted butter, at room temperature
- Cream cheese, at room temperature
- Light brown sugar
- Ground cinnamon
- Powdered sugar
- Heavy cream or whole milk
- Pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Step-by-Step Instructions – mini snickerdoodle cake
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease two 6-inch cake pans with nonstick cooking spray, line them with parchment paper, and spray again. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. These are your dry ingredients. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the unsalted butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. This should take about 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the egg whites one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Add the vanilla extract and sour cream, mixing on low until just combined. The batter may look slightly curdled, but don’t worry—it will smooth out when you add the dry ingredients.
- Add one-third of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix on low until just combined. Follow with half of the buttermilk, then another third of the dry mixture. Add the remaining buttermilk and finally the rest of the dry ingredients. Don’t overmix—just stir until incorporated.
- Divide the cake batter evenly between the prepared pans, smoothing the top of the batter with a butter knife or offset spatula.
For the Cinnamon Swirl:
- In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Add the melted butter and mix until combined.
- Drop spoonfuls of the cinnamon sugar mixture over the top of the cake batter. Use a knife to gently swirl the mixture into the batter, creating a beautiful cinnamon swirl.
Baking:
- Bake the cakes for 28-32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with moist crumbs.
- Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10-20 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. Cool completely before frosting.
For the Brown Sugar Cinnamon Buttercream:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the brown sugar and beat on medium-high speed until combined.
- Add the ground cinnamon, powdered sugar, heavy cream (or whole milk), vanilla extract, and salt. Mix on low until just combined, then increase to high speed and beat until creamy and smooth.
- For an extra smooth frosting, use a spatula to beat out any air pockets by hand.
Cake Assembly- mini snickerdoodle cake
- Place a dollop of frosting on your cake board to secure the first layer. Place the first cake layer on the board and spread a layer of frosting evenly over the top.
- Add the second cake layer and repeat, frosting the top of the cake evenly.
- Once the cake is fully stacked, crumb coat the cake with a thin layer of frosting and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
- Frost the outside of the cake with the remaining frosting, making sure to get smooth edges. Use a piping bag to create decorative swirls if desired.
- For the best texture, serve the cake at room temperature.
Tips and Tricks:
- Make sure all of your ingredients, especially the butter, eggs, and cream cheese, are at room temperature. This helps everything combine smoothly and prevents lumps.
- Cake flour is essential to getting that light, tender texture in the cake. If you don’t have cake flour, you can make your own by substituting some of the purpose flour with cornstarch.
- When making the cinnamon swirl, add it to the batter immediately after mixing to prevent the butter from solidifying and making it difficult to swirl.
- This cake is perfect for the holiday season or any time you want to enjoy the flavors of snickerdoodle cookies.
Recommended Tools:
- Stand mixer (or hand mixer) with a paddle attachment
- 6-inch round cake pans
- Parchment paper
- Wire rack for cooling
- Offset spatula or butter knife for spreading batter and frosting
- Measuring cups and measuring spoons
- Rubber spatula for scraping down the bowl
- Whisk for dry ingredients
- Small bowl for the cinnamon swirl
- Cake board for assembly
FAQs – mini snickerdoodle cake
Can I use all-purpose flour instead of cake flour?
Yes, but the cake won’t be quite as tender. You can make your own cake flour substitute by replacing 2 tablespoons of flour with cornstarch per cup of flour.
Can I make this cake into cupcakes?
Absolutely! Just divide the batter into a muffin tin and reduce the baking time to about 15-20 minutes for snickerdoodle cupcakes.
Can I make this recipe ahead of time?
Yes! You can bake the cake layers ahead of time, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze them for up to 2 months.
What if I don’t have a stand mixer?
You can use a hand mixer if you don’t have a stand mixer. It will work just as well for both the cake and the frosting.
How do I know when the cake is done?
The cake is ready when a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with only moist crumbs (not raw batter). The cake should also spring back lightly when touched in the center.
What is the difference between cake flour and all-purpose flour?
Cake flour is finer and has a lower protein content than purpose flour, which helps create a more tender crumb in cakes. If you use all-purpose flour, the cake might be a bit denser.
Storing and Freezing:
- Store any leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- If you want to freeze this mini snickerdoodle cake, wrap individual slices in layers of plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe bag or cake carrier. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
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Recipe
Mini snickerdoodle cake
Vanilla cinnamon cake that is moist and soft, with an incredible cinnamon sugar filling and the best brown sugar buttercream!
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 3 egg whites at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons sour cream at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups cake flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ¾ cup buttermilk at room temperature
For the Cinnamon Swirl:
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
For the Brown Sugar Cinnamon Buttercream:
- ¾ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 3 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
- ¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray two 6-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray, line with parchment paper, and spray again. Set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- With the mixer on low, add the egg whites one at a time, scraping the bowl between each addition and mixing well after each (about 30 seconds).
- Add the vanilla extract and sour cream, mixing on low just until combined. (It may look curdled, but don’t worry! The flour will even it out.)
- With the mixer on low, add one-third of the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Add half of the buttermilk, mix, and then add another third of the dry ingredients. Follow with the remaining buttermilk, mix for 10 seconds, and then add the rest of the dry ingredients. Do not overmix.
- Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans. Use a kitchen scale for precision if you like, and an offset spatula to spread the batter evenly.
- For the Cinnamon Swirl: Mix the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon until combined. Add the melted butter and mix just until it forms a smooth mixture. Immediately drop small spoonfuls of the cinnamon swirl onto the cake batter, then gently swirl with a knife or toothpick.
- Bake for 28-32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool for 10-20 minutes before transferring the cakes to a cooling rack. Cool completely before wrapping with plastic wrap and refrigerating if not using until the next day.
For the Brown Sugar Cinnamon Buttercream:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the brown sugar and beat on medium-high speed until combined, about 1 minute.
- Add the cinnamon, powdered sugar, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt. Turn the mixer on low speed and mix just until combined, about 30 seconds. Then increase the speed to medium-high and beat until creamy and smooth.
- Use a rubber spatula to beat out any air pockets, making the frosting extra smooth.
Assembly:
- Place a small dollop of buttercream in the center of your cake board to act as glue. Place the first cake layer (top side up) onto the cake board.
- Spread a little over half a cup of buttercream evenly on top of the first layer. Make sure the frosting is level by getting eye-level with the cake.
- Add the second cake layer, top side down, onto the frosted layer. Spread another even layer of buttercream on top.
- Place the third cake layer, top side down, on the second frosted layer. Repeat with another layer of buttercream.
- Crumb coat the entire cake with a thin layer of buttercream and chill for 15 minutes.
- Frost the cake with the remaining brown sugar cinnamon buttercream. For the best flavor and texture, serve the cake at room temperature.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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