Yesterday my little brother turned 21. I can still picture the night he was born even though I wasn’t quite four — the memory of me in the car on the way to the hospital, yelling at my uncle to turn around and return him to wherever he came from, has stayed with me. Thankfully that “return” policy has long expired, and over time he’s grown on me.
We always had a love-hate relationship growing up. We loved each other because we were siblings, but we also found plenty of ways to drive each other crazy. For example, while babysitting one day I served a box of Banquet chicken and gave my brother’s favorite drumstick to his friend on purpose. He was so furious he threw the drumstick through the window — a memorable situation to explain to our parents. Another time I dragged him across the floor by his arm and dislocated his shoulder; my mom later reminded me that at the time we were apparently getting along, so I wasn’t trying to be mean. In high school, when I was a senior and he a freshman, he got into a fight with another boy. I pushed through the crowd, separated them, and marched both kids straight to the principal’s office.
We were always looking for ways to get the other in trouble, and if one of us got caught, we made sure the other came down with us. But since he graduated high school, our relationship has improved a lot. Now you’d never guess we used to fight every time we shared a room. We’re still different people, but we genuinely get along and actually like each other.
Remembering how much he loved Cinnamon Toast Crunch as a kid, I decided to make him a Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cake for his birthday. He wanted a small cake, so I made him a 6-inch, two-layer white cake. The edges were brushed with melted butter and rolled in sweet cinnamon sugar, and the frosting was whipped and folded with crushed Cinnamon Toast Crunch, with more cereal sprinkled on top. I kept the cake itself simple — no extra cinnamon mixed into the batter — to preserve a balanced flavor. If someone in your house loves Cinnamon Toast Crunch, this cake is a fun and delicious birthday option.
Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 1 Standard box white cake mix
- 1 Package instant vanilla pudding mix
- 4 Egg whites
- 1/2 cup Milk
- 3/4 cup Vegetable oil
- 1 cup Sour cream
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
Cake Sides:
- 2 tbsp Butter, melted
- Cinnamon
- Sugar
Frosting:
- 2 cups Heavy cream
- 1/2 cup Confectioners’ sugar
- 1/3 cup Instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 3 cups Cinnamon Toast Crunch, crushed
Topping:
- 2 cups Cinnamon Toast Crunch, divided
Instructions
Cake:
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Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
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Grease three 6-inch cake pans (or two 8-inch pans).
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Combine the cake mix, instant pudding mix, egg whites, milk, vegetable oil, sour cream, salt, and vanilla in a large bowl or stand mixer. Mix until well combined.
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Divide the batter evenly among the pans — about 1 1/2 cups per 6-inch pan.
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Bake 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on racks.
Cake Sides:
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When the cakes are cool, brush the edges with melted butter and roll them in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar.
Frosting:
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In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, instant pudding mix, and cinnamon until light and fluffy.
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Place 3 cups of Cinnamon Toast Crunch in a food processor and pulse to a coarse powder. Fold this powder into the frosting.
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Spread about 1 1/2 cups of frosting on the first cake layer. Top with the second layer and spread another 1 1/2 cups of frosting evenly over it. Use a spatula or butter knife to smooth the sides.
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Reserve additional frosting as desired. Pulse another cup of cereal and sprinkle the powder over the top layer, then finish by scattering about a cup of whole Cinnamon Toast Crunch on top as a crunchy garnish.
Notes
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