Snickerdoodle Cake

Crunchy sugar cinnamon coating, tender and delicate crumb inside, what’s not to love?

WHAT???? Snickerdoodle cookies in cake form? A dream come true. This cake encompasses all the bits of the cookie we love, but in cake form – perfect for a dessert or just snacking.

PREPARE THE PAN

  •  1 cup granulated sugar
  •  2 teaspoons cinnamon

CAKE

  •  2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  •  2 teaspoons cinnamon
  •  1 teaspoon baking powder
  •  1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  •  1/2 teaspoon salt
  •  1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  •  1 cup granulated sugar
  •  1 cup light brown sugar, packed
  •  3 large eggs, at room temperature
  •  2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  •  1 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream

PREP THE PAN

  1. To a small bowl, add 1 cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, and whisk to combine; set aside.
  2. Preheat oven to 325F.
  3. Generously spray a 9-inch (12-cup) Bundt pan with floured cooking spray (or grease the pan with shortening), being careful to cover all the nooks and crannies, as well as the center tube. Gently dust the entire inside of the pan with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. You will only need about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of cinnamon-sugar, but try to evenly coat the inside surface of the pan, including the tube.
  4. Save the remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture for layering in as the filling; set everything aside. (I used less than half the remaining sugar mixture but just couldn’t bring myself to put that much of a sugar layer in a cake that already has 2 cups of sugar in it!)

CAKE

  1. To a large bowl, add the flour, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and whisk to combine; set aside.
  2. To the mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or large mixing bowl and electric mixer), add the butter and beat on medium-high speed for 1 minute.
  3. Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, add 1 cup granulated sugar and mix on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  4. Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the brown sugar and mix on medium-high speed until the mixture looks light brown and uniform in color, about 2 minutes.
  5. Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the eggs one at a time, mixing on medium speed for 1 minute after each egg.
  6. Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the vanilla and mix on medium speed to incorporate, about 30 seconds.
  7. Add half the flour mixture, half the Greek yogurt or sour cream, and mix on medium-low speed until incorporated, about 1 minute.
  8. Add the remaining flour mixture, remaining Greek yogurt or sour cream, and mix on medium-low speed until incorporated, about 1 minute.
  9. Turn half the batter out into the prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula. The batter is quite thick and that’s okay.
  10. Evenly sprinkle the reserved cinnamon-sugar mixture over the top of the batter, which creates the filling as the cake bakes. (As I mentioned earlier, use as much of the sugar mixture as you are comfortable with – I had lots left)
  11. Turn the remaining batter out into the pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula. Bake for 55 to 62 minutes (I baked for 59 minutes), or until top is lightly golden brown and set, and a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter. Don’t overbake because the cinnamon-sugar crust will become overly crunchy.
  12. Allow cake to cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.

I found this recipe on a new site for me, Averie Cooks. This turned out so well that I might be hopping over to her site again to see what else she has going on.

Served for dessert with a dollop of whipping cream, this cake is also so moist and delicious on its own, it is perfect for snacking
The girls are in training to “stylize” my food photos – this is Stella’s version.
Here is Sloan’s interpretation – either one makes me want to take a bite.

Stela was quick to to make sure I saved the recipe so it could get it on the blog. Well, she asked if I screenshot the recipe and when I said I printed it out, her dad told her that was the old fashioned way of taking a screen shot.

Snickerdoodles

Snickerdoodles 6

The ultimate Snickerdoodle, courtesy of Heather, these ones made by her daughter Emily.  Just thin enough to be tender and chewy.

Have you ever noticed how many recipes are out there for Snickerdoodles?  They are everywhere, and I’ve tried a lot of them.  Some get quite complicated with refrigeration time required, shaping instructions, and the list goes on.  Ultimately, what I’m looking for  just isn’t that complicated.  This recipe is perfect, and make the best cookies, so quit looking for another snickerdoodle cookie recipe and get baking.  You won’t be sorry.

Whisk together:

  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 4 tsp cinnamon

Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350

Whisk until well blended:

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt

(alternatively you could omit the cream of tartar & baking soda, just use 3 tsp of baking powder)

Beat in a large bowl:

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups white sugar

When light and fluffy, beat in:

  • 2 large eggs

Stir in the dry ingredients until cookies are well blended.  Form cookies into balls (about 1 1/4 inch), roll in cinnamon & sugar mixture and place on parchment lined baking sheet, about 2 1/2 inches apart.  Give them LOTS of space as they do spread.

Bake one sheet of cookies at a time.

Bake for 12-14 minutes, just until very lightly browned at the edges.  Allow to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before removing and placing on a cooling rack.

Snickerdoodles 5

I put these ones too close together, and they kind of all ran into each other ….. I might fail shape class but they were still delicious.

Our friend Heather makes the most beautiful cookies, they are seriously works of art.  Needless to say, when struggling with trying to find a recipe, I turned to her.  She provided this one, with the news that it came from Joy of Cooking!

Snickerdoodles 7

Heather’s daughter Emily will no doubt be as skilled with cookies as Heather is.

Baking with my girls is the best – they are getting so good at measuring – love Stella’s attention to the scale to make sure all the cookies are the same size.  (no, you don’t need to do that, but it sure kept her busy)

Baking

Really, it doesn’t seem that long ago I was baking with these two little cuties.  Now they have little cuties of their own, and I’m baking with the next generation too.