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Snickerdoodle Cake

Snickerdoodle cake with golden cinnamon-spice layers and a cinnamon sugar crust from buttered, coated pans. Finished with a very fluffy cinnamon cream cheese frosting between layers and on top for a classic tangy-sweet bite.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For snickerdoodle cake
  • 2.5 cup flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp cream of tartar
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup sour cream
For cinnamon sugar coating (pan)
  • 1 butter
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
For cinnamon cream cheese frosting
  • 16 oz cream cheese
  • 0.5 cup butter
  • 4 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tsp vanilla

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 stand mixer

Method
 

Prepare pans and dry mix
  1. Preheat oven to 350F and butter three 8-inch pans.
  2. Coat the buttered pans with a cinnamon sugar mix made from 2 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon so the sides show a spiced crust.
  3. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cream of tartar, and salt together until evenly combined.
Make cake batter and bake
  1. Beat butter and granulated sugar until fluffy, then add eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth.
  2. Alternate adding the flour mixture and sour cream, dividing batter between the three prepared pans.
  3. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the tops look set and a toothpick comes out clean.
  4. Cool completely before frosting so the frosting stays thick and creamy.
Frost the cake
  1. Beat cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla until very fluffy.
  2. Frost between the layers and all over the top, using an even layer so the cinnamon-spiced color shows slightly near the edges.

Notes

For the fluffiest frosting, make sure cream cheese and butter are softened before mixing, and cool the cake layers fully so frosting won’t melt. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Freeze unfrosted layers (wrap well) up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge. For a lighter option, use low-fat cream cheese and reduce butter by 2 tbsp, but texture may be slightly less rich.