Cinnamon Roll Lava Cake
5.0 from 1 reviewRecipe revised 2026-09-14.
This is the cinnamon roll lava cake people kept asking me to make without banana. The cake layers are soft, warmly spiced, and intentionally simple so the gooey brown sugar filling can be the center of attention.
You can finish it with cream cheese frosting for that classic cinnamon roll tang or use my vanilla buttercream when you want the most structurally sound option. Both are an absolute dream. It really comes down to preference.
The filling can be thick and chewy or loosened into a softer sauce. I made the version in these photos without extra milk, so it stayed thicker between the layers. You can always spoon more over each slice when serving.
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A Year of Learning in One Cake
I first shared my banana cinnamon roll cake about a year ago, when I had around 5,000 followers and mostly used my Instagram page to share my favorite meals and desserts. It became one of my first cakes to go viral, and so many people asked for a version without banana that I made one shortly afterward.
This recipe is an improved version of that earlier cinnamon lava cake. It is wild how much you can learn in a year when you genuinely obsess over something. My love for baking has only grown, and with it have come new techniques, more knowledge, and a much better understanding of how I want these cakes to work.
I have found myself returning to the recipes that helped build this little baking community and giving them everything I know now. This cake still has the nostalgic cinnamon roll center people loved, but the cake, filling, frosting, and assembly are more intentional from beginning to end.
Ingredient notes
Key ingredients
Cake flour
Cake flour keeps the cinnamon-spiced layers light and tender enough to balance the rich filling and frosting.
Light brown sugar
A fine light brown sugar dissolves smoothly into the filling. Organic brown sugar often has larger crystals and may leave a slightly grainier texture, which is still delicious but worth knowing before you begin.
Full-fat brick cream cheese
Use softened, full-fat cream cheese sold in bricks, not a tub-style spread. The frosting needs enough body to contain the filling and support the cake layers.
Vanilla bean paste
Vanilla bean paste rounds out the warm spices in the cake, filling, and frosting without competing with the cinnamon.
Brands I used for this recipe
These are preferences, not requirements. If you choose the non-dairy route, these are the products I test with. Dairy equivalents can be used at the same listed amounts and temperatures.
Country Crock Plant Butter Sticks
I use these sticks in the cinnamon filling and frosting.
Silk Unsweetened Original Soymilk
I use this in the cake layers and whenever milk is needed in the filling or frosting.
Country Crock Heavy Plant Cream
I use this for the cinnamon filling and vanilla buttercream.
Forager Unsweetened Plain Yogurt
The plain unsweetened yogurt I use in the cake layers.
King Arthur Unbleached Cake Flour
The cake flour I use in recipes that call for cake flour.
Rising Star Baking Supply Vanilla Bean Paste
The vanilla bean paste I use, linked to the 4-ounce Walmart bottle.
Testing notes
Why this works
How to keep cream cheese frosting smooth and stable
Start with room-temperature butter and softened brick cream cheese. Beat the butter first, add the powdered sugar before the cream cheese, then add the cream cheese gradually on low. Stop as soon as it is combined. Do not finish with medium- or high-speed whipping. Sift the powdered sugar so the frosting becomes smooth without requiring extra mixing.
Why the cream cheese goes in last
Mixing the butter and powdered sugar first coats the sugar with butter before the cream cheese joins it. Add the softened cream cheese last, a little at a time, so it blends in without prolonged mixing.
How to choose between the two frostings
Cream cheese frosting is softer and more delicate, with the tang I love in a cinnamon roll. Vanilla buttercream is much more structurally sound for a lava cake and can support a more generous filling. Both work beautifully, so choose based on flavor and how comfortable you are stacking filled layer cakes.
How to control the filling consistency
Cook the filling a little longer for a thicker, chewier consistency and skip the additional milk, as I did in these photos. For a softer sauce, slowly add room-temperature milk after the filling is completely chilled. Keep the simmer controlled and make sure the sugar dissolves rather than overheating the mixture.
Why the frosting dam matters
A tall, sturdy dam carries the weight of the next cake layer and keeps the filling from pushing through the sides. Spread only a thin layer of frosting inside the dam before adding the filling.
Step by step
How It All Comes Together
Step 1
Mix the cinnamon cake batter
Whisk the wet ingredients until smooth, then add the dry ingredients in two additions. Mix gently and stop as soon as the flour disappears so the cinnamon-spiced layers stay soft.
Mix gently once the flour goes in. Step 2
Start with a thin frosting layer
Let the cake layers cool completely. Spread the thinnest layer of cream cheese frosting or vanilla buttercream over the first layer before piping the dam.
This is the next cake layer, ready for its thin coat of frosting. Step 3
Build the dam and add the filling
Pipe a tall, unbroken frosting ring around the edge. Spoon completely chilled cinnamon filling into the center, spread it evenly, and keep it below the top of the dam.
Spoon the chilled filling inside the raised frosting edge. 
Spread the filling without pushing it over the frosting border. Step 4
Stack and chill the cake
Set the next cake layer over the filled dam and repeat. After the final layer goes on, chill the stacked cake until it feels firm before adding the outside coat of frosting.
Set the next layer gently on top. Step 5
Finish the cinnamon-roll top
Frost the outside, then spoon the remaining cinnamon filling into a spiral over the top. Chill before slicing for the cleanest layers, and serve extra filling alongside each slice if you want it gooier.
Swirl a little more cinnamon filling over the frosting. The finished cake, with cinnamon filling tucked between the layers. 
A closer look at the three cinnamon cake layers.
From Instagram
Watch the reel
Watch the cinnamon cake layers, brown sugar filling, frosting, and signature lava center come together.
Open the reel
Troubleshooting
If This Happens
The cream cheese frosting is loose
Chill for 10-15 minutes, then mix briefly on low. Begin with room-temperature butter and softened brick cream cheese, and add the cream cheese last. Stop as soon as it is combined; whipping longer will not make loose frosting sturdier.
The cinnamon filling is too thick
After the filling is completely cold, stir in room-temperature milk 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches the consistency you want.
The filling is pushing through the sides
Make sure the cake and filling are completely cold, pipe a tall and unbroken frosting dam, and keep the filling below the top of it. Use less filling between the layers and save the rest for serving.
The stacked cake feels unstable
Chill it until firm before applying the outside frosting. Vanilla buttercream is the sturdier option if you want to use a more generous amount of filling.
Before you slice
Texture and serving notes
For the cleanest slices, chill the assembled cake before cutting and wipe the knife between slices.
Serve extra cinnamon filling alongside the cake so everyone can make their slice as gooey as they like.
Keep it good
Storage
Fridge
Store the cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Fridge
Keep a cake made with cream cheese frosting chilled whenever it is not being served.
Serve
Let refrigerated slices sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before serving.
Recipe FAQ
Questions that come up
Can I use tub-style cream cheese for the frosting?
No. Use softened, full-fat cream cheese bricks. A tub-style spread can make the frosting too loose to contain the filling and support this layer cake.
Why did my cream cheese frosting become loose or curdled?
The butter may have been greasy or partly melted, or the frosting may have been mixed too long after adding the cream cheese. Use room-temperature butter and softened brick cream cheese. Beat the butter first, add the powdered sugar, then add the cream cheese last on low only until combined. If it feels loose, chill for 10-15 minutes and mix briefly on low before assembly.
Can I make this cake with buttercream instead?
Yes. Vanilla buttercream is included as an option and is more structurally sound than cream cheese frosting. It is especially helpful if you are new to filled layer cakes or want to use a little more cinnamon filling.
How do I make the cinnamon filling thicker or thinner?
For a thicker, chewier filling, let it simmer slightly longer and omit the optional milk. For a thinner sauce, cool it completely, then slowly add room-temperature milk starting with 1 tablespoon. The version shown here does not contain additional milk.
Can I use organic brown sugar in the filling?
Yes. Organic brown sugar often has larger crystals, so the filling may have a slightly grainier texture. I prefer a finer light brown sugar because it dissolves more smoothly, but both taste delicious.
Can I use vanilla extract instead of vanilla bean paste?
Yes. Replace the vanilla bean paste with the same amount of vanilla extract. The flavor will be slightly different, but the recipe will still work.
Can I make this cake gluten-free?
Yes. Use my gluten-free vanilla cake recipe for the cake layers, and add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom to its dry ingredients: Gluten-Free Vanilla Bean Lava Cake
Should I weigh the ingredients or use volume measurements?
I strongly recommend weighing the ingredients in grams for the most reliable result. Volume measurements are included for convenience, but the amount in a cup can change depending on how an ingredient is filled, packed, or poured. These recipes are easy to follow, but their ratios are precise, so I cannot guarantee the exact same result when volume measurements are used. I still use teaspoons and tablespoons for small amounts like leaveners, salt, spices, and flavorings because those are the most practical measurements.
Can I use all-purpose flour instead of cake flour?
Yes, of course. Replace the cake flour with the same amount of all-purpose flour by weight. The cake will have a slightly sturdier, less delicate crumb, but it will still be great.
More lava cakes to try
- Prep
- 1 hr 30 min
- Bake
- 22-26 min
- Total
- About 3 hr, including cooling and chilling
- Yield
- One 8-inch three-layer cake
Measurement note
For the closest match to the recipe I tested, use grams. Volume measurements are included for convenience, but cups can vary, so I cannot guarantee the exact same result when measuring by volume.
I use the Deiss Kitchen Scale.
Ingredients
Vanilla Cake Layers
- 300 g cake flour300 g (about 2 1/2 cups) cake flour
- 25 g cornstarch25 g (about 3 tablespoons + 1 1/2 teaspoons) cornstarch
- 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 300 g granulated sugar300 g (about 1 1/2 cups) granulated sugar
- 120 g neutral oil120 g (about 1/2 cup + 2 teaspoons) neutral oil
- 200 g plain unsweetened yogurt, room temperature200 g (about 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon) plain unsweetened yogurt, room temperature
- 240 g milk, room temperature240 g (about 1 cup) milk, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
Cinnamon Roll Filling
- 113 g butter113 g (about 1/2 cup) butter
- 200 g light brown sugar, packed200 g (about 3/4 cup + 3 tablespoons) light brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 60 g heavy cream60 g (about 1/4 cup) heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1-3 tablespoons milk, room temperature, only if needed1-3 tablespoons milk, room temperature, only if needed
Cream Cheese Frosting - Choose This or Vanilla Buttercream
- 340 g full-fat brick cream cheese, softened340 g (about 1 1/2 cups) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened
- 255 g butter, room temperature255 g (about 1 cup + 2 tablespoons) butter, room temperature
- 520 g powdered sugar, sifted520 g (about 4 1/3 cups) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, only if neededMilk, 1 teaspoon at a time, only if needed
Vanilla Buttercream - Optional Alternative
- 340 g butter, cool and pliable (3 sticks)340 g (about 1 1/2 cups) butter, cool and pliable (3 sticks)
- 520 g powdered sugar, sifted520 g (about 4 1/3 cups) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 40-80 g heavy cream, room temperature or just slightly warm40-80 g (about 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons to 1/3 cup) heavy cream, room temperature or just slightly warm
Pan used
I use Fat Daddio's 8-inch anodized aluminum round cake pans for this recipe.
Instructions
- 1Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease three 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- 2Make the cake layers. In a large bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, oil, yogurt, milk, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla bean paste until completely smooth and emulsified.
- 3In a separate bowl, whisk the cake flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom until evenly combined.
- 4Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two additions, whisking gently just until smooth and no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix.
- 5Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans and tap each pan lightly on the counter to release large air bubbles.
- 6Bake for 22-26 minutes, until the tops are set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- 7Cool the layers in their pans for 10-15 minutes, then turn them onto wire racks and cool completely before assembling.
- 8Make the cinnamon roll filling. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in the light brown sugar and cinnamon, then cook until the mixture is glossy and bubbling and the sugar has dissolved.
- 9Slowly stream in the heavy cream while whisking constantly. The mixture will foam. Simmer gently for 1-2 minutes, or slightly longer for a thicker filling, until smooth and lightly thickened. Do not overheat it.
- 10Remove the filling from the heat and stir in the salt and vanilla bean paste. Cool completely, then chill until cold.
- 11For a softer filling, slowly stir room-temperature milk into the chilled mixture, beginning with 1 tablespoon. Omit the milk for the thicker, chewier consistency shown in these photos.
- 12Make the cream cheese frosting, if using. Beat the room-temperature butter on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, until smooth.
- 13Add the sifted powdered sugar in four additions, starting on low after each addition, then beating the butter and sugar base until smooth and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla bean paste and salt.
- 14With the mixer on low, add the softened brick cream cheese in four additions, scraping the bowl as needed. Mix only until combined and smooth.
- 15Do not finish by whipping the cream cheese frosting on medium or high speed. Add milk 1 teaspoon at a time only if needed. If the frosting is too soft, chill for 10-15 minutes, then mix briefly on low before assembly.
- 16For vanilla buttercream instead, beat the butter until smooth and slightly lightened. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar on low, then mix in the vanilla bean paste and salt. Slowly add 40 g of cream and continue adding only as needed until smooth but sturdy enough to hold a tall dam.
- 17Assemble the cake. Place the first cake layer on a cake board. Spread on the thinnest layer of your chosen frosting, then pipe a tall, sturdy frosting dam around the outer edge.
- 18Add a conservative layer of completely chilled cinnamon filling inside the dam. If using cream cheese frosting or assembling your first filled layer cake, leave a little extra room inside the dam rather than overfilling it.
- 19Top with the second cake layer and repeat the thin frosting layer, tall dam, and cinnamon filling. Add the final cake layer and chill the stacked cake until firm.
- 20Apply a very thin exterior coat of frosting and chill again if needed. Finish the top with the remaining cinnamon filling in a cinnamon-roll swirl, or reserve extra filling to spoon over individual slices.
Meet the baker
Angela Heckler
Angela Heckler is the recipe developer, baker, and photographer behind Obsessed Cakes. Her Old-Fashioned Donut Loaf series is a growing collection of cake-donut-inspired loaves with soft, deeply moist crumbs, buttery streusel, and crackly glaze. Angela develops and tests every recipe in her Arizona kitchen. Follow Obsessed Cakes on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
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Ratings and reviews
Absolutely delicious! As always this recipe has delivered! Instructions are so easy to follow & I love that everything is measured in weight - it makes things so much simpler! I’m made this with the buttercream & it’s perfect. The consistency of the cinnamon goo is also great! I went for a slightly thicker result. Such a lovely cake & great if you have any food intolerances.
Love this, Louise! I'm so glad to hear! Thank you so much for sharing <3 :)
Questions from readers
Recipe questions and answers
Hi Angela - I'm based in Australia and unsweetned yogurt is typically greek style. Would that be ok? And do you know if subbing the apple cide vinegar to regular white vinegar would be fine? thanks
Yes to all of this! Greek yogurt will work just fine, and sub with white vinegar. Let me know how it turns out!
I'm in the UK and we dont have block cream cheese, only the spreadable stuff. Would you recommend making the cream cheese frosting with strained spreadable cream cheese (to try and get the same consistency) or mascapone cheese (less tangy, higher fat content)m Having scoured the Internet these seem to be my best/only options!
Hi Danielle! I think using a mascarpone cheese is a wonderful alternative. I'd stay away from the spreadable cream cheese because it won't hold up. Let me know how it turns out!
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