My entire family loves this lazy day Cinnamon Bundt Cake recipe. It’s easy to throw together but it looks like it took hours to make! This will become your favorite cake to make!

A round cinnamon bundt cake with a light glaze drizzled over the top, displayed on a white surface. The cake boasts a golden-brown color and moist texture, while the glaze provides a glossy finish, making it an irresistible treat from the perfect recipe.
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Cinnamon Cake Recipe:

This is our family favorite cake. My father loves this cake and requests it every year for his birthday. Every year, I ask what he wants and he always replies with that cinnamon cake thing you made last year.

This year we also made it for Thanksgiving. My kids forgot how much they loved it and they have requested it for Christmas too! This brown sugar cinnamon swirl cake is perfect for any occasion and I know you’ll love how easy it is to make and how light and fluffy it is too.

If you love the flavor of this cake, make sure to check out this Honey Bun Cake. You may even like this Christmas Bundt Cake.

Lazy Day Cinnamon Bundt Cake:

A lazy day cake is what I call a cake recipe in which I find shortcuts to make a delicious cake recipe easier by using substitutions for some of the ingredients needed.

In this recipe instead of creating the flour mixture, I use a cake mix instead so I don’t have to worry about the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, etc for this recipe. 

This helps create a great short cut but you don’t have to sacrifice any of the flavors! In some recipes, it requires you to add in sour cream but in my recipe I add in a package of delicious pudding instead which really adds in the moisture and flavor to this delicious cake.

Ingredients for Easy Cinnamon Cake:

Cake Ingredients:

  • Yellow Cake Mix
  • Vanilla Instant Pudding
  • Vegetable Oil
  • Water
  • Eggs
  • Vanilla extract

Filling Ingredients:

  • Light Brown Sugar
  • Cinnamon
  • Chopped Pecans or Walnuts (Optional)

Glaze Ingredients:

  • Powdered Sugar
  • Milk
  • Vanilla Extract

How to make Cinnamon Bundt Cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

First you will want to prepare a 10-inch bundt pan (also known as a 12 cup bundt pan) with grease and flour. We like spraying it with your favorite non stick spray and lightly dusting it with flour.  You don’t want to skip this step so that it’s easy to remove the cake once it’s finished.

Next prepare the filling by combining the brown sugar, cinnamon and nuts together in a mixing bowl.  Set aside as you’ll need this later in this process.

Top image: A glass bowl with brown sugar and cinnamon on a marble surface, essentials for our Cinnamon Bundt Cake recipe. Text reads, "Make the filling." Bottom image: The ingredients mixed together with a fork. Text reads, "Mix together the cinnamon & brown sugar.

To prepare the cake portion you need a large bowl combine the cake mix, pudding, oil and water.  Then add eggs and vanilla extract.  I mixed these ingredients together using my stand up electric mixer but you can use a hand held mixer as well.  Just mix these ingredients together for a few minutes until they are well combined.

Next pour approximately one third of this batter into the prepared bundt pan.

Then sprinkle half of the sugar mixture over the batter in pan.  After this, pour another one third of this batter on top of the sugar mixture in the pan.  Then sprinkle the remaining cinnamon/sugar mixture over this layer. Next, pour the remaining batter in the pan.

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Bake for 37 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Check the cake around 25 minutes and if it is getting too brown, loosely cover with foil while it continues to bake.

After the cake baked, allow the cake to cool for at least 20 minutes.  Then run a knife around the edges of the pan and invert the cake onto a wire rack.  Let the cake cool completely on this wire rack.

A close-up of a slice of marble bundt cake on a white plate with a fork. The cake features a swirled pattern of vanilla and chocolate, topped with a light glaze reminiscent of a delightful cinnamon bundt cake recipe. More slices are visible in the blurred background.

Now it’s time to prepare the delicious Glaze!

Now it’s time to learn how to prepare the glaze for this delicious cake recipe.  You don’t want to skip this step as the glaze is my favorite part and make this cake even sweeter and amazing!

While the cake is cooling, mix together the glaze ingredients in a medium size mixing bowl.

Then I move the cake to a serving platter and next I drizzle the glaze on the top of the cake.  The glaze is thin and will drizzle over the cake perfectly.  It’s not as thick as icing so don’t be surprised when it’s thinner than normal.

This cake is easy to make in no time at all but is a crowd pleaser. 

A close-up of a sliced cinnamon Bundt cake on a white plate showcases its golden hue and enticing swirls, embodying the perfect Cinnamon Bundt Cake recipe. Topped with a light icing drizzle, the dessert is ready for serving with a utensil placed under one slice.

Homemade Vanilla Extract is easy to make!

Have you ever tried to make Vanilla Extract? Vanilla extract is needed for most baking recipes and recently started to make my own. It’s so easy to make and really does add more flavor to my baking recipes.

I wrote an entire post on how to make your own vanilla extract here.  It only takes 2 ingredients to create and I was able to make it in under 5 minutes.  Also, I save a lot of money by making my own vanilla extract instead of using the store bought kind.

A Family Favorite!

All that delicious cinnamon with that yummy icing on top. It is perfect for dessert or I have enjoyed a slice with my morning coffee. I end up having to make two Cinnamon Cakes as my dad usually takes home leftovers. Have I mentioned how much we love this cake?

The best part is I bet you already have everything you need to make this easy dessert recipe! I promise, you’ll want to try this one soon.

A cinnamon bundt cake with a light glaze drizzled over the top sits on a white plate. The cake has a rich brown color, and the glaze creates a contrasting white pattern with slightly uneven lines running down the sides, embodying the essence of this delicious recipe.
A slice of coffee cake with a marbled cinnamon swirl is topped with a light glaze, reminiscent of a homemade Cinnamon Bundt Cake recipe. It sits on a white plate, fork beside it, while another slice rests in the background, slightly out of focus.

Lazy Day Cinnamon Bundt Cake Recipe

4.95 from 40 votes
Estimated Cost: $6.99, $0.58 per Servings
You have to try this delicious Lazy Day Cinnamon Bundt Cake Recipe. This Cinnamon Swirl Cake is simple and easy to make. It's perfect for any occasion!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Cool 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 12
Cuisine American
Course Dessert
Calories 469

Ingredients

For the Cake:

  • 1 yellow cake mix (15.25 oz)
  • 1 package vanilla instant pudding (3.4 oz)
  • ¾ cup vegetable oil
  • ¾ cup water
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Filling:

  • cup light brown sugar (packed)
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

For the Glaze:

  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Spray a 12 cup bundt pan with non stick spray and dust with flour.
  • In a small bowl, stir together the filling ingredients (⅓ cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon and ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts). Set the filling aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 plain yellow cake mix, 1 package vanilla instant pudding, ¾ cup vegetable oil, ¾ cup water, 4 large eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
  • Mix with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute, then continue mixing for 2 to 3 more minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until the batter is well combined.
  • Pour one-third of the batter into the prepared bundt pan.
  • Sprinkle half of the cinnamon filling evenly over the batter.
  • Pour another one-third of the batter into the pan, then sprinkle the remaining cinnamon filling on top. Pour the remaining batter into the pan.
  • Bake for 37 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Check the cake around 25 minutes and if it is getting too brown, loosely cover with foil while it continues to bake.
  • Let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and invert the cake onto a wire rack. Cool the cake completely.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth.
  • Place the cooled cake on a serving platter and drizzle the glaze over the top. Slice and serve.

Recipe Video

Nutrition Facts

Calories 469kcal, Carbohydrates 70g, Protein 4g, Fat 20g, Saturated Fat 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat 11g, Monounsaturated Fat 4g, Trans Fat 0.2g, Cholesterol 55mg, Sodium 390mg, Potassium 82mg, Fiber 1g, Sugar 51g, Vitamin A 89IU, Vitamin C 0.1mg, Calcium 120mg, Iron 1mg

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About the Author

Hi, I’m Carrie Barnard — a professional food blogger with over 14 years of experience helping busy families make dinner fast, easy, and affordable.

At Eating on a Dime, I share simple, budget-friendly recipes that are tested in my own kitchen and approved by my 8 kids. With millions of readers each month, I’m here to help you cook real food for real families — without the stress.

4.95 from 40 votes (36 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. Larisha Lewis says:

    This recipe calls for an 18.25 cake mix store doesn’t sell them how do I do this

    1. Carrie Barnard says:

      Larisha – Sadly, cake mix sizes have changed from 18.25 ounces to 15.25 ounces recently. The recipe would stay the same and just reduce the cooking time down to 40-50 minutes until the cake is cooked through. Let me know how it turns out!

  2. Veronica Perez says:

    5 stars
    Delicious and easy recipe and you’re right it’s perfect for the holidays. Thank you

    1. Carrie Barnard says:

      Veronica – Thank you for sharing and for your wonderful review of this recipe. I truly appreciate it.

  3. Monica G says:

    5 stars
    Such an easy and delicious recipe. My 7 year old son helped me make it this evening. It is delicious and our whole house smells amazing!

    1. Carrie Barnard says:

      I’m so glad you loved it. Thank you for taking the time to review the recipe.

  4. Kate says:

    I accident bought regular pudding instead of instant. Will it still work?

    1. Carrie Barnard says:

      I’ve never tried that, so I can’t say for sure, but I think it will.

  5. Patricia says:

    5 stars
    Awesome ? thanks

  6. Bobbie says:

    This recipe is similar to an old version of ” sock – it – to me” cake. Very good!

  7. Zelda says:

    Mine rose way too high! ? But tastes delicious! I’m not sure what I did wrong

    1. Carrie Barnard says:

      Oh, I’m not sure either as I haven’t had that issue before. I would double check your pan size to make sure you didn’t use a smaller pan.

  8. Tina says:

    5 stars
    I made this and used milk instead of water,butter instead of vegetable oil and 2 vanilla snack pack puddings. It was heavenly! ?

  9. Lise says:

    1/3 cup brown sugar….

  10. Judy Hannapel says:

    Can anyone tell me how much brown sugar to use? It only displays a “?” On my screen. Any help is appreciated. Thank You!

    1. Carrie says:

      It’s 1/3 of a cup. The recipe has been corrected. Thanks for letting us know!

  11. Mae Kindle says:

    How much brown sugar please!!

    1. Carrie says:

      It’s 1/3 of a cup. The recipe has been corrected. Thanks for letting us know!

  12. Kristi says:

    5 stars
    Can anyone tell me how much brown sugar to use? It only displays a “?” On my screen. Any help is appreciated. Thank You!

  13. Sharon Wheeler says:

    Sounds and looks delicious! How much brown sugar, please? Thanks!

  14. Jocelyn says:

    Hi! How much brown sugar for the filling?