Cinnamon Bun Cake (Take 2)

Sue originally made this cake and posted it back in 2012. (See her original post HERE.) She has made it many times since as it is such a delicious and easy cake to make. 

I was looking for something to make for one of the doctors at my office for his birthday and Sue suggested making this. I was thinking I kind of wanted something fancier, like a layer cake. Usually this is made in a 9 X 13 pan. 

I decided to turn it into a layer cake to see how it would turn out. 

I originally made it in 2 - 8 inch round pans and it boiled over something awful and I had forgotten to set the pans on a cookie sheet to catch the spillover so it burned in my oven and...long story short... I ended up having to trash the first attempt. 

*Sigh*

I hate wasting food like that. 

Anyways, I had a little tantrum then went back and made it again. This time I used 3 - 8 inch round pans. 

It worked much better. 

Cinnamon Bun Cake

(Slightly adapted from Six Sister's Stuff)

Ingredients

3 cups flour
pinch salt
1 cup sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
4 Tbsp butter, melted

Cinnamon Swirl
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp cinnamon
2/3 cups pecans, finely chopped 

Cream Cheese Frosting

2 X 8 oz bricks cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 1/2 cup icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Directions
Prepare cake - Preheat oven to 350. Line 3 - 8 inch round pans with parchment paper (cutting to just fit the bottom of the pan) With an electric mixer; mix flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, milk, eggs, and vanilla. Once combined well, slowly stir in 4 Tbsp melted butter. Pour batter into the prepared pans.
Prepare cinnamon swirl - In a large bowl, mix the 1 cup of softened butter, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and pecans until well combined.
Drop evenly over cake batter by the tablespoon and use a knife to marble/swirl through the cake. (This is kind of tricky. Just do the best you can.)
Bake the cakes at 350 until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, about 20 - 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool in pans for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pan and invert cake onto a wire cooling rack. Remove the parchment paper if it has stuck to the bottom of the cake then use another cooling rack to invert it back so the cinnamon swirl (top of the cake) is facing up.

Let cool completely before frosting (chilling the cake may help you frost it easier).

Prepare frosting - Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually beat in icing sugar and vanilla until thoroughly combined. (If frosting seems too runny add in a bit more icing sugar. It also helps to refrigerate the frosting for at least an hour to firm it up before frosting.)

Place one layer of cake on a serving platter. Top with a bit of the icing. Place another layer of cake, then more icing, then the last layer of cake.

Frost the outside and top of the cake with the remaining frosting.

I then used a little bit of frosting to pipe some swirls on top of the cake. Okay, actually..... I called Sue and made her drive to my house and made her pipe swirls on top of the cake because I can't pipe worth a toot. 

Anyway... I then topped each swirl with a candied pecan and sprinkled some chopped candied pecans on the top to finish it off.

P.S. - To candy pecans really quickly - heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add in 2 Tbsp butter and 1/4 cup of brown sugar. Stir in 1 cup of pecan halves. Cook and stir until sugar has dissolved and mixture is bubbling. Cook and stir and let it bubble for about 2 more minutes. 

Remove from pan and spread onto a cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Let cool and then break apart. 

I love the look when you slice the cake. There is all these hills and valleys of cinnamon and cream cheese between the layers....

You never know what the next bite is going to hold. 

Next time you need a super easy dessert for someone special, whip this bad boy up. You can make it SUE'S WAY - in a 9 X 13 pan or this way. 

For tons of great food and crafting links head over to - Easy Life, Kitchen Fun With My 3 Sons, My Turn (for us), Our Table For Seven. Carole's Chatter