How to Make a 5-Ingredient Cinnamon Roll Dump Cake

Nancy MockUpdated: Oct. 03, 2023

a small plate of Cinnamon Roll Dump Cake with the baking dish in the background

Nancy Mock for Taste of Home

This cinnamon roll dump cake is our latest obsession.

You have to love a dump cake recipe—even if the name “dump cake” doesn’t do a great job of selling the concept. The complete opposite of traditional baking, which requires precise measurements and mixing, the ingredients in this recipe get dumped in the pan and baked as they are.

And incredibly, the technique works. The ingredients transform into a sweet, homestyle dessert, like in this cinnamon roll dump cake.

Cinnamon Roll Dump Cake Recipe

This comes to us courtesy of TikTok creator @aquickspoonful. Her recipe includes cinnamon swirl cake mix plus two intriguing ingredients we hadn’t considered trying: tubes of cinnamon roll dough and a can of frosting! Of course, we had to put her recipe to the test in our Test Kitchen.

Sophia uses Krusteaz cinnamon swirl cake mix in her recipe, but you can use other brands as long as they have separate pouches of cake mix and cinnamon-brown sugar blend. The recipe makes 8-10 servings.

Ingredients

Nonstick spray
2 tubes (12.4 ounces each) cinnamon rolls
1 can (12 ounces) whipped cream cheese frosting
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 box (21 ounces) cinnamon swirl cake mix
12 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions

Step 1: Arrange rolls in pan

arranging cinnamon roll dough in a pan Nancy Mock for Taste of Home

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray the bottom and sides of a 9×13-inch pan with nonstick spray. Open the cinnamon rolls and arrange them in rows in the pan. (There are 16 rolls, so one row will have an extra.)

Step 2: Add frosting and nuts

frosting and nuts on top of a pan filled with cinnamon rolls before baking Nancy Mock for Taste of Home

Spread the entire can of frosting in an even layer over the rolls. Sprinkle the walnuts (if using) over the frosting.

Step 3: Add the cake mix in two layers

cake mix and brown sugar added to the pan filled with cinnamon dump cake before baking Nancy Mock for Taste of Home

The cake mix should have two pouches. Sprinkle the larger pouch of cake mix evenly over the frosting. Then, sprinkle the smaller pouch of cinnamon-brown sugar over the top. It’s a dump cake, so don’t mix it!

Step 4: Top with butter

more layers being added to the cinnamon dump cake pan before baking Nancy Mock for Taste of Home

Slice the butter into pats and arrange them evenly over the top of the cake.

Step 5: Bake and serve

baked cinnamon roll dump cake in pan Nancy Mock for Taste of Home

Bake the dump cake for 40 minutes; it should be puffed with browned areas that look like crust and others that look gooey and melty. Let the cake cool for at least 10 minutes, and then use a large spoon or spatula to serve. It tastes best when it’s warm.

The Verdict

I admit I was skeptical of this recipe, especially the part about spreading an entire can of frosting into the pan. I have to give the original TikTok creator credit, though. This cinnamon roll dump cake is pretty dang tasty!

The rolls baked up into a soft layer full of cinnamon flavor, topped with cake and gooey patches where the butter melted into the brown sugar topping. I can see this being a fun dish to bring to brunch or to treat the family on weekends. It would also be fun for kids to make with slumber party friends for breakfast.

Several followers expressed some concern with the amount of sugar in this recipe, with one commenting, “I got a cavity just by watching this.” It’s clear from the ingredients list that this is a sweet and over-the-top cake, and certainly no one should be eating an entire pan on their own. So as with any rich dessert, make it as an occasional treat.

Tips for Making This Cinnamon Roll Dump Cake

Use cooking spray: Although the TikTok recipe doesn’t call for it, I suggest using nonstick spray in your baking pan. The cake is sticky and a little tough to get out of the pan once cool.
Bake for the right amount of time: It may be tricky to tell if the cake is done. Since the ingredients aren’t mixed, it will have both browned and light-colored areas after baking. I found that 40 minutes was just right. Be careful not to overbake or the cake will be dry.
Use frosting: You can use the icing that came with the cinnamon rolls on the finished cake. Either spread it over the top or add some after you scoop cake onto plates.
Storage: Store any leftover dump cake covered in the fridge. You can reheat the whole pan at 300° for about 10 minutes, or microwave individual portions for 45 to 60 seconds.

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I call this B.A.P. dump cake. I usually take it to our church potluck and it is the first dessert to go! Sometimes I sprinkle a little extra sugar over the nuts. —Mitzi Erthal, Godfrey, Illinois