These tasty cakes are cute and so fun to make! Soft cinnamon sheet cake is filled and crumb coated with cream cheese frosting. Zulka Pure Brown Cane Sugar is the key to the deep color and flavor, which of course is spiked with plenty of spicy cinnamon. A trending decorating technique are the finishing touches. This recipe is made as a sheet cake, which is cut into triangular “slices”, and fully frosted and decorated, almost like the whole slice is its own little layer cake. Perfect for parties and celebrations of all sorts! If you want to do more elaborate decor, consider finishing the cake with Italian Buttercream, which is more stable.
MAKES
12 individually frosted cake slices
INGREDIENTS
Cinnamon Sheet Cake
- 340 g / 3 cups cake flour
- 6 g / 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 8 g / 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 g / 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 g / 1⁄2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 113 g / 4 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 115 g / 1⁄2 cup neutral oil (such as safflower, canola, or vegetable)
- 212 g / 1 cup light brown sugar
- 99 g / 1⁄2 cup granulated sugar
- 170 g / 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 10 g / 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 345 g / 1 1⁄2 cups buttermilk, at room temperature
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 454 g / 1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
- 226 g / 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 906 g / 2 pounds Zulka Powdered Pure Cane Sugar
- 15 g / 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 4 g / 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 115 g / 1⁄2 cup sour cream
- 60 g / 1⁄4 cup heavy cream
- ground cinnamon, as needed for finishing (optional)
METHOD
- Make the sheet cake: preheat the oven to 350°F / 170°C with an oven rack in the center. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 inch / 23 x 33 cm pan with nonstick spray. Line the pan with parchment paper, ideally allowing it to extend at least 2 inch / 5 cm on either side to help unmold the cake later. Lightly grease the parchment paper. Grease three 9 inch / 23 cm cake pans with nonstick spray, and line the base of each pan with a parchment paper circle. Grease each pan once more.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the cake flour and cinnamon to combine. Add the baking powder, baking soda, and salt to combine. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, oil, brown sugar, and sugar until they are light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well on medium speed, then scraping well after each addition. When all the eggs are adding, and Add the vanilla paste (or extract) and mix well to combine. Scrape the sides and base of the bowl well.
- Add about one third of the dry ingredients, and mix on low speed to combine. Scrape the bowl well, then add about one third of the buttermilk, and mix to combine. Repeat this process, alternating the wet and dry ingredients until both are fully incorporated and the batter is smooth.
- Divide the batter evenly between the three prepared pans, and spread into an even layer. Transfer to the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, 28-32 minutes.
- Cool the cake completely in the pan. Run a small offset spatula around the outer edge, and invert the cakes onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Make the cream cheese frosting: in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, 4-5 minutes. Scrape the sides and base of the bowl well.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar about one-quarter at a time, mixing on low speed until each addition is incorporated, and scraping the bowl well after each addition. Raise the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, 4-5 minutes. Scrape the bowl well.
- Add the vanilla, salt, and sour cream and mix on low speed to incorporate, then raise the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl well.
- Assemble the cake: make room in your refrigerator or freezer for the cake to sit level and flat.
- Unmold the cake onto a cutting board, and peel away the parchment paper. Carefully cut the cake in half horizontally using a long serrated knife. Scoop about half of the frosting on top of the bottom piece of cake, and spread into an even layer.
- Top with the other cake layer and press gently to adhere. Lightly crumb coat the outer edge to help seal the edges, then refrigerate the cake for 2 hours, or freeze for 1 hour.
- Use a serrated knife to cut the cake in half across the long (13 inch / 33 cm) side to make two long pieces (4 1⁄2 x 13 inch / 11 x 33 cm each).
- Use the knife to cut each piece of cake into 6 even triangles. To do this, start at an angle – you’ll make a smaller scrap piece to get the triangular angle right. Each triangle should be about 2 inch / 5 cm wide at the long base. Alternate cuts to get 6 pieces out of each side, making 12 slices total.
