Cinnamon Swirl Pound Cake

This Cinnamon Swirl Pound Cake is soft, moist, and studded with a sweet cinnamon swirl. A brown sugar topping and simple vanilla glaze makes this buttery cake perfect for breakfast or dessert!

You’ll also love this one bowl chocolate chip pound cake, chocolate covered pound cake bites, and strawberry pound cake!

I have always been a fan of a classic pound cake recipe.

I just love the rich and dense texture, combined with a vanilla, buttery taste. It’s my favorite kind of cake and I don’t see that changing any time soon.

Growing up, I loved the frozen Sara Lee pound cake. I still crave it every so often, as it reminds me of my childhood. If you love it, too, then you must try some simple cake recipes, like this grilled pound cake with mascarpone cream and berry vanilla pudding pound cake trifle.

This cinnamon roll pound cake is reminiscent of cinnamon rolls, but so much easier to make. In fact, the cake batter itself requires just one bowl and is simple to whip up. And the buttery cinnamon swirl is the perfect complement to the rich cake.

The dense, yet moist texture and cinnamon sugar swirl makes this the ultimate cinnamon pound cake recipe. With a touch of brown sugar and a sweet glaze to top it off, I guarantee you’ll adore this decadent pound cake.

Ingredients Needed for Cinnamon Pound Cake:

For the cake:

• Butter: unsalted butter works best, as you can control the amount of salt. You’ll need it softened to room temperature so that it’s easy to mix.
• Granulated sugar
• Large eggs
• Vanilla: I like to use this vanilla bean paste in all of my recipes, though vanilla extract works just as well.
• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• Milk: I used 2%, though any kind will work

For the cinnamon streusel layer:

• Granulated sugar
• Ground cinnamon
• Brown sugar: for topping, as it will melt into the cake and give it a delicious taste.

For the glaze:

• Powdered sugar
• Milk: you can also use heavy cream for added richness
• Vanilla

How to Make:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven and grease a 9×5 loaf pan.
• In a large bowl or in the bowl of your stand mixer: add butter and sugar and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.
• Mix: add in eggs and vanilla, beating until combined. Then add flour, baking powder and salt, followed by milk. 

• Pour: spread ⅓ of batter onto the bottom of the prepared pan and set aside.
• To make the cinnamon sugar: in a separate bowl, add the sugar and cinnamon and stir to combine.
• Sprinkle: add an even layer of mixture over the top of batter in the prepared loaf pan. Add another ⅓ of batter on top of cinnamon swirl mixture, followed by another layer of cinnamon sugar. Spread the remaining batter over the top and then sprinkle the brown sugar over the top of loaf.

• Bake: place pan into the oven and bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of cake comes out mostly clean. You don’t want to overbake the pound cake, so keep a careful eye on the oven time.
• To make the glaze: add powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla to a small bowl and whisk to combine. Drizzle over the top of the cake.

How to Store:

You can store the cooled cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days. If your cake is drizzled with the glaze, then you will need to keep it in the refrigerator, due to the dairy.

To freeze: wrap cooled cake in aluminum foil and store in a freezer-safe container or bag in the freezer for up to three months. When ready to eat, let thaw completely in the refrigerator.

Can I Make This in a Bundt Pan?

Absolutely! This cinnamon swirl bundt cake would make a beautiful presentation, topped with some powdered sugar or with the vanilla glaze. However, you may need to adjust the time it takes to bake.

Variations of this Cinnamon Swirl Pound Cake Loaf:

• Extract: add a touch of almond extract or cake batter extract for a different flavor.
• Add-ins: stir in some chocolate chips or cinnamon chips for a bigger flavor.
• Switch up the glaze: instead of a vanilla topping, a cream cheese glaze would make tasty addition.

Looking for More Easy Recipes with Cinnamon? I’ve Got You Covered!

• Apple Cinnamon Roll Bake
• Cinnamon Pancake Mix Muffins
• Cinnamon Roll French Toast Casserole
• Easy Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
• Cinnamon Sugar Baked Donut Holes
• Cinnamon Banana Croissant French Toast
• Grilled Peaches with Cinnamon and Brown Sugar