Discover the nostalgic taste of an old-fashioned cinnamon pudding cake. Rich, moist, and aromatic, every bite of this classic cake brings back warm memories. Topped with crunchy nuts, it's a delicious dessert that’s great for any occasion.

Cinnamon pudding cake slice with whipped cream and cinnamon on top.

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What Makes this Cinnamon Pudding Cake So Good?

Pastry trends come and go, but the classics remain popular for two very good reasons: they’re easy to make and taste great. Among traditional desserts, there’s perhaps no better-loved old-school treat than pudding cake.

This version from the 1950s has an incredibly moist cinnamon-flavored cake with a bit of a surprise. There’s an ooey-gooey brown sugar sauce on the bottom. After one bite, you just may call this the best cinnamon pudding cake recipe ever.

Why You Should Try This Recipe

This old fashioned cinnamon pudding cake has been a family favorite for over 50 years. It’s utterly addictive, and truth be told, there have been more than a few times when an entire cake has disappeared in one sitting.

The bold cinnamon flavor and the uniqueness of the brown sugar sauce on the bottom will have all of your guests asking for the recipe. It’s a nice change to have a cinnamon cake with a moist, soft texture and without crumb topping.

If anyone in your family or one of your friends is allergic to eggs, this is an egg-free recipe.

Ingredients for the Cake

To make the brown sugar topping, you’ll need:

Water
Light brown sugar
Unsalted butter

To make the batter, you’ll need:

All-purpose flour
White granulated sugar
Baking powder
Salt
Ground cinnamon
Unsalted butter
Whole milk
Pecans or walnuts

Cinnamon pudding cake ingredients on a tray.

How to Make Cinnamon Pudding Cake

To prepare the brown sugar topping:

Whisk together the water, brown sugar, and two tablespoons of unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
Bring the water to a simmer while whisking, and then turn off the heat.
Continue to whisk until all the brown sugar dissolves and is incorporated into the melted butter.
Take the saucepan off the burner and allow it to cool to room temperature.

To prepare the batter for this cinnamon pudding cake recipe:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon into a large bowl.
Put the unsalted butter and white granulated sugar in a separate large mixing bowl and combine them.

Making cinnamon brown sugar sauce, sifting dry ingredients, and butter-sugar mixture.

Add the sifted flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until well combined.
Pour the whole milk over the dry ingredients.
Mix or stir just until the batter is smooth. You can use an electric mixer to mix the batter.

Collage of mixing dry and wet ingredients for cinnamon pudding cake batter.

Scrape the cake batter into an ungreased 8 X 8-inch square baking dish. To burst any bubbles in the batter, lay a towel on the counter and gently tap the bottom of the baking dish on it. Flatten the top of the batter with a rubber spatula.
Pour the warm brown sugar glaze over the batter and resist the urge to mix.
Sprinkle top with nuts.
Bake the cake in the preheated oven until the center sets, about 35 to 40 minutes.
Remove the cake from the oven and serve it warm.

Collage of cinnamon pudding cake batter in a pan, covered with sauce and pecans, and baked.

What to Serve Cinnamon Pudding Cake

Hot coffee and tea are both traditional drink choices to enjoy with this cake, but you can be a bit fancy by having a cappuccino or latte. A tall glass of milk is perfect for kids.

Try topping a cake slice with a dollop of whipped cream or add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. You can also drizzle it with caramel sauce for an added richness.

Cinnamon pecan pudding cake with whipped cream on top.

How to Store Pudding Cake

Although eating all of this cake the same day you make it is best, you can store the leftovers for later. If you plan to finish the cake within three days, keep it at room temperature. Allow the cake to completely cool, and then cover the top of the baking dish with plastic wrap or transfer the cake to an airtight container.

To serve, cut individual portions and heat each for 15 to 20 seconds in the microwave before serving.

You can freeze the cake if you plan to keep the cake longer than a few days. Wrap the baking dish in plastic and then add a layer of aluminum foil. Keep in the freezer for up to 30 days. Thaw the cake in the refrigerator overnight before heating and serving.

A slice of cinnamon pudding cake with whipped cream on a stack of plates.

More Vintage Cake Recipes

Print Recipe

Cinnamon Pudding Cake

Rich, aromatic, and moist cinnamon pudding cake is an incredible dessert.

Prep Time10

Cook Time40

Total Time50

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 521kcal

Ingredients

1 ¾ cups brown sugar packed
1 ½ cups cold water
4 tablespoons butter divided use
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup white granulated sugar
1 cup milk
½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts
whipped cream to serve

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Combine the brown sugar, cold water, and 2 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and let cool.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
Cream the rest of the butter with the white granulated sugar in a large bowl. Add the flour mixture and mix until combined.
Slowly add the milk in batches, stirring after each addition.
Spread the batter in an 8×8-inch pan. Pour the brown sugar mixture over the batter and sprinkle with chopped nuts.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Serve warm with whipped cream.

Notes

This recipe was from Virginia McDowell from 1956. This recipe has been in my family for over 50 years. This is an eggless cake, so the ingredients are simple, and likely something you already have in your pantry.

Nutrition