This easy cinnamon pound cake has a cinnamon swirl inside and is frosted with a maple espresso glaze! The cinnamon pound cake is made in a food processor, and it only takes 20 minutes to prep. This is the perfect pound cake for cinnamon lovers!
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This cinnamon pound cake was a journey, you guys. I originally wanted a cinnamon sugar filling, but when I was testing this recipe, I found that it created air pockets in the batter (which did not look great!). I then thought, how about swirling some of the batter with cinnamon and a bit of brown sugar? Bingo!
I then added my favorite maple espresso glaze (used in my pumpkin pecan muffins and cardamom oatmeal cookies), and there you have it -the perfect pound cake for Fall, Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, and more.
This pound cake uses the same food processor method that I first saw Alice Medrich use. You pour hot, melted butter into a food processor with the remaining wet ingredients, then gently stir in the dry ingredients. That's it!
If you're looking for more cozy, cinnamon-forward recipes, I recommend my chocolate chip cinnamon cookies and mini cinnamon muffins.
Grab Your Ingredients!
Let's Make This Recipe!
- Step 1: In a food processor, blend the sugar, eggs, sour cream, and vanilla until blended. Pour in the hot, melted butter.
- Step 2: Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Step 3: . Scoop out 3 tablespoons of batter into a small bowl and mix with the cinnamon and light brown sugar.
- Step 4:Pour half of the batter into your 8.5x4.5-inch greased and lined loaf pan. Then pour the cinnamon filling on top.
- Step 3: Pour the remaining pound cake batter on top. Use a butter knife to create figure-8 swirls. Bake in the oven until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Step 4: Once the cake is completely cool, whisk the glaze until completely smooth. Pour over your cake and enjoy!
My Tricks, Tips, & More
- Browning: Because this loaf cake spends a long time in the oven, I recommend checking on the top of the pound cake. If it's getting too brown, tent the pan with foil to stop it from overbrowning.
- Split Down the Middle: See that line of butter down the middle of the loaf? That little trick creates a weak spot in the pound cake so you can control where it cracks. I've tried just running a butter knife over the top, but piping a line of softened butter (in a zip-top bag or piping bag) works much better.
- Glaze: If your glaze is too thick, add more heavy cream. If too thin, add more confectioners' sugar!
- Storage: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days.
Made This Recipe?
Make sure to leave a ⭐️ rating and review below! You can tag me on Instagram @alpineella or follow along on Pinterest, Facebook and TikTok!
Thank you!
Ella
Recipe
Cinnamon Pound Cake with Maple Espresso Glaze
Equipment
- 8.5"x 4.5" loaf pan
Ingredients
Cinnamon Pound Cake
- 1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cups (300 grams) granulated sugar
- 3 large (3) eggs room temperature
- 2 cups (240 grams) all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon (¾ teaspoon) baking powder
- ¼ cup (60 grams) sour cream room temperature
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
- 1 ½ tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
Maple Espresso Glaze
- ½ tablespoon freshly brewed coffee
- drop maple extract optional
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ cup (56 grams) confectioner's sugar sifted
- pinch kosher salt
- 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F/170°C. Grease and line a 8.5x4.5" loaf pan.
- Melt your butter in a microwave or in a small saucepan. Once melted, set aside.1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter
- In a food processor, blend together the sugar, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla until blended. Pour in the warm melted butter.1 ½ cups (300 grams) granulated sugar, 3 large (3) eggs, ¼ cup (60 grams) sour cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour with the salt and baking powder.2 cups (240 grams) all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold everything together with a rubber spatula. Fold until there are no more streaks of flour.
- Scoop out 3 tablespoons of batter into a small bowl. Add the cinnamon and light brown sugar and mix until smooth.1 ½ tablespoons ground cinnamon, 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- Pour roughly half of the batter into your prepared pan. Spoon the cinnamon filling on top. Pour the remaining pound cake batter on top. Use a toothpick or a butter knife to gently swirl a figure-8 (you don't want to over swirl it!)
- To get a crack down the middle of the loaf, pipe softened butter down the middle. I do this by putting some softened butter into a ziploc bag and snipping one corner. This is totally optional!
- Bake for 65-80 minutes, a tester should come out clean. If the loaf cake becomes too brown on top, tent with foil.
- Take out of the oven and let cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then remove from the pan and let cool completely on a wire rack.
Glaze
- In a bowl or jug, whisk together all of the glaze ingredients. It should be very thick. If too thick, add more heavy cream. If too thin, add more confectioners' sugar!
- Pour the glaze over the cooled loaf cake. Enjoy!
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DLC says
Made this today, delicious. Will definitely be on repeat. I just found this site and can’t wait to make more of your recipes. Thanks!
Ella says
Thank you so much for your review!