Snickerdoodle Cake

This snickerdoodle cake is a simple yet elegant dessert recipe that comes together in less than 25 minutes! Full of sweet, cinnamon flavor, this cake has no eggs, no butter, no milk in it! 

If you love a good snickerdoodle cookie, you are going to love this snickerdoodle cake recipe.

For those who don’t know what Snickerdoodle is, it’s essentially a fancier name for cinnamon. Just like my lemon blueberry cake and vanilla cake, this is one of the easiest baked goods you’ll ever make! 

Table of Contents

1. Why you’ll love this snickerdoodle cake
2. Ingredients needed
3. How to make a snickerdoodle cake
4. Can I use this recipe to make snickerdoodle muffins? 
5. Tips to make the best recipe
6. Storage instructions
7. Recommended tools to make this recipe
8. More easy cake recipes to try 
9. Frequently asked questions
10. Snickerdoodle Cake (Recipe Card)

Why you’ll love this snickerdoodle cake

• No eggs, no butter, no milk. Unlike a traditional bakery cake, this one needs none of those in it.
• Ready in 25 minutes. This is the kind of cake you can make with very little time. 
• Vegan and gluten-free. Similar to a chocolate zucchini cake, with no dairy in it, this cake is naturally vegan and can easily be made gluten-free. 

Can we lament about the texture? It is moist, fluffy, and with a light crumb. It’s sweet and full of cinnamon flavor, without being overpowering. 

Ingredients needed

This recipe calls for simple and affordable pantry staple ingredients that you most likely already have on hand. Here is what you’ll need: 

• All-purpose flour.  Either white all-purpose flour or if you’d like this cake to also be gluten-free, you can use gluten-free flour. Be sure to use one that has added xanthan gum to it, or else your cake will be gummy. 
• White and brown sugar. A combination of white and brown sugar gives the cake a tender crumb while keeping the cake itself moist and fluffy in the middle. 
• Cinnamon, The key ingredient for a snickerdoodle cake! If you can get your hands on Saigon cinnamon, please use that- It has (in my opinion) the best cinnamon flavor I have come across. 
• Baking soda. This leavening agent gives the cake some rise. 
• Cream of tartar. Reacts with the vinegar to hold the cake together. 
• Salt. Brings out the sweetness of all the ingredients. 
• Oil. Use a neutral flavored oil, like canola, vegetable, or even refined coconut oil. 
• Vanilla extract. A must for any cake or muffin recipe! 
• Vinegar. White vinegar or apple cider vinegar. 
• Water. To mix everything together. You can use milk if you prefer. 
• Vanilla frosting. 

How to make a snickerdoodle cake

Besides a few minutes prep to make the cake batter, this recipe is pretty much hands off! 

Step 1- Make the cake batter

Start by adding all your dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Whisk it all together until combined.

Next, add your wet ingredients, and mix until a thick batter remains.

Step 2- Bake the cakes

Carefully distribute the batter amongst three 8-inch cake pans and bake for around 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Step 3- frost the cake

While the cake is cooling, prepare your frosting. Once the cakes are cool, you can layer up the cake by spreading half the frosting on one of the cakes. Add the second cake on top, before covering the outside and tops of the layer cake with the remaining frosting. Sprinkle with cinnamon and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving. 

Can I use this recipe to make snickerdoodle muffins? 

If you’d like to make snickerdoodle muffins or snickerdoodle cupcakes, you can easily use this exact cake batter for it!

Simply prepare the batter as instructed, then make the following changes-

1. Distribute the batter amongst 24 greased muffin tins. 
2. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until a skewer comes out just clean.
3. Let muffins cool completely before frosting. 

Tips to make the best recipe

• Use springform cake pans for easy removal. I like placing a circular piece of parchment paper on the bottom (I measure the paper out and cut around it) to avoid any potential sticking.
• Your cakes must be cooled completely before frosting. 
• If you’d like to make this a single-layer cake, halve the ingredients. 

Storage instructions

To store: Leftover cake should be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 2 weeks. Let the cake sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before enjoying it. 

To freeze: Place the cake in a freezer-friendly container and store it in the freezer for up to 6 months. Let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator. 

Recommended tools to make this recipe

• Cake pan. My tried and tested ones that have never failed me!
• Mixing bowl. Have a few on hand for the cake batter and the frosting.
• Spatula. To seamlessly make the batter.

More easy cake recipes to try 

• Tiramisu cake
• Pumpkin cake
• Death by chocolate cake
• Pear cake
• Opera cake
• Pineapple upside down cake

Frequently asked questions