I’ve been testing some new recipes lately, mostly toying with variations of my classic Christmas breakfast. Ever since I was little, we always had cinnamon rolls, which I love. I mean, I adore cinnamon rolls. Gooey, sweet, tasty, nom nom nom nom. In muh mouth, please. You know what else I love? Cake. Cake is awesome. So yeah, light bulb moment here. Why not make a cinnamon roll cake? Too easy. Let’s pump up the flavor on this bad boy and make a spiced apple cinnamon roll cake!
To make this spiced apple cinnamon roll cake, I started with my standard cinnamon roll recipe, but I decided to shake things up by using I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!® instead of regular butter. As you can see, it turned out beautifully. And, by the way, have you heard? I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!® has been reformulated, so now it only contains simple, real ingredients; ingredients you can read and actually know what they are! Plant-based oils, purified water, and a pinch of salt! Talk about delicious goodness, right there, am I right?
Before I started the dough though, I prepped the apples. I didn’t want them to be crunchy in my cake, so they needed to be cooked a bit first. I peeled and diced a single large apple and placed it in a pot with about ¼ cup of water and spiced, then cooked on medium low for about 10 minutes, til they are nice and soft, but not mushy. We don’t want applesauce, after all. I then melted some I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!® and prepped the filling for the cinnamon roll cake. I may or may not have enjoyed a bite or three of the filling. So delicious. Then I made the dough, rolled it out, layered out the filling and the apples, then used a pizza cutter to cut the dough into thin strips. I rolled up the first strip into a basic cinnamon roll and place it in the middle of a pie round, then took the next strips and wrapped them around the first piece until it was essentially one giant spiral!
I had a really hard time not eating this while it was raw, it looks so good. So good. But alas, raw dough isn’t nearly as tasty as baked, ha. I iced my spiced cinnamon roll cake with some cream cheese mixed with powdered sugar and milk, but if that’s too sweet for you, grab some more I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!® and have it on a hot slice, it’s spreadable right from the fridge, which is awesome, in my opinion. Have you ever pulled out butter and tried to spread it on bread cold and the bread just disintegrates under the effort? That is sadness. But not with I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!®, which has 0g Trans Fat, by the way, and zero partially-hydrogenated anything. Because, like I said, it’s made with real ingredients. Holla!
Oh hey! Did I forget to mention that this recipe is also yeast-free? YES! Double-plus bonus, for sure! No waiting for it to rise, or set overnight or anything like that. You can make it in the morning, wham bam DONE, delicious! So shall we get to it then?
Ingredients
For The Apples
- 1 Large Apple peeled, seeded, and diced
- ¼ C Water
- 1 Tbsp Cinnamon
- 1 tsp Nutmeg
- ½ tsp Ginger
For The Filling
- ¾ C Brown Sugar packed
- ½ C Sugar
- 1 Tbsp Cinnamon
- 1 tsp Nutmeg
- ½ tsp Kosher Salt
- 2 Tbsp I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!® melted
For The Dough
- 3 C Flour plus extra for rolling
- ¼ C Sugar
- 1 ½ tsp Baking Powder
- ½ tsp Baking Soda
- ½ tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 C Buttermilk
- 4 Tbsp I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!® melted
For The Icing
- 3 oz Cream Cheese softened
- 1 C Powdered Sugar
- 3-4 Tbsp Milk
Instructions
- Place the apples, water, and spices in a small pot over medium low heat and cook for 10 minutes, or until tender, but not mushy. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 375. Combine filling ingredients in a small bowl, then mix with a fork until well blended.
- In a another, larger bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix together buttermilk and melted I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!® in a separate bowl, then pour into the middle of the dry ingredients. Stir together until dough just comes together, being mindful not to over-mix. Kneed slightly by hand until the dough forms into a ball.
- On a lightly floured surface roll out dough into a long rectangle, about ¼ inch thick. Press the filling onto the dough, covering all but ½ inch from each edge, then cover with the apples.
- Using a pizza cutter or knife, cut the dough length-wise, into 2-inch-wide strips. Roll the first strip from end to end and place in the center of a greased pie plate. Take the next strip and wrap it around the first piece, in a spiral. Repeat with each strip until the pie plate is full.
- Back for 20 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
- While the cake is baking, combine the icing ingredients in a small blender and blend until smooth. Drizzle onto the hot cinnamon roll cake and spread evenly.
Share your photo and tag @asimplepantry or #asimplepantry!
Ready to try this spiced apple cinnamon roll cake recipe? Grab yourself the newly amazing I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!®, and let them know what you think by leaving a review here! I promise you are going to love it’s flavor and utility; you can check out some more great recipes here!
Make sure you have your slice of cake with my Pumpkin Spice Latte, or a delicious Berry Smoothie!
Rachel says
Drool-worthy! Your pictures are also lovely.
Emily @ Love, Pasta and a Tool Belt says
Seriously, this looks so so good! Thank you for linking up to The Wednesday Round Up and we hope to see you back next week!
Jessica says
This looks absolutely to die for. I will definitely have to try this.
Stopping by from ‘A Pinch of Joy’. Hope you will hop on over, and visit me.
heather @french press says
this would make a fabulous holiday breakfast for sure
Sarah @ Backwoods Babies says
This is looks really phenomenal! I would love it if you shared this at my link party Welcome to the Woods Wednesday, over at http://backwoodbabies.blogspot.com. The party will be up, and ready Tuesday evening. Hope to see you there.
XOXO,
Sarah
Simple Hacks Living says
Beautiful and yummy! Pinning it.
Laura@Baking in Pyjamas says
Visiting from Melt in your Mouth Monday. This looks stunning, I love all the flavours and everything about it. I co-host Sweet and Savoury Sunday and would love for you to stop by and share this and other recipes with us. Have a great day!
Claire says
Beautiful picture, it looks amazing 🙂
Thanks for sharing at Creative Mondays…
AnnMarie says
Wow and wow! I know two guys in my house that would love me a little more after making this! Pinned!
Laura Irion // Avery Street Design says
Oh man, this looks sooooo good!!! YUM! Thanks so much for sharing at Found & Foraged tonight- great partying with you! xo, Laura
Deb says
Looks amazing!
Kelley @ {The Best Crowe's Nest} says
this looks like something i would much rather just enjoy eating instead of making! haha
Summer says
Oh you have me drooling! This looks absolutely divine!
Kendra says
This looks amazing! I love making cinnamon rolls but I’m not patient enough for the dough to rise.
Cassie @ Live.Laugh.L0ve. says
This needs to get in my belly right this second. I’m totally drooling. Yum!!
kristine foley says
SO droolworthy! This would be perfect for Christmas breakfast! Thanks for sharing girl!
Sarah Halstead says
That looks amazing! I need to make this ASAP!
Eugenia says
This looks too good to eat!!
Michelle Marino says
Soooooo your coming over Thursday morning to make me breakfast right ? Because yes I would totally eat this for breakfast.
Phyrra says
This looks amazing!
ashley says
This looks so good! I will definitely be trying it.
Lauren says
This looks heeeeeeavenly! Also, your photos are fantastic!
Claire @ A Little Claireification says
This looks sooooo delicious. “I can’t believe it’s not in mah belly!!”. Pinned!
Laura says
This looks absolutely delicious! I’ll be in Austin for Thanksgiving, I can swing by San Antonio and pick some up, right? 😉
Ange says
This looks delicious!