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Amish Cinnamon Flop

Amish cinnamon flop is a rustic square cinnamon cake with a crackled, caramelized cinnamon-sugar top and a moist, soft interior. Easy cinnamon cake method: bake a simple batter under a brown sugar cinnamon and butter topping until bubbly and golden.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 9 servings
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 330
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cake base
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Topping
  • 0.5 cup brown sugar
  • 1.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 3 tbsp cold butter slice thin

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep the oven and pan
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease an 8x8 or 9x9 baking pan. You should be ready to pour batter as soon as the oven reaches temperature.
Make the cinnamon cake batter
  1. Whisk the all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Whisking evenly distributes the leavening for a consistent rise.
  2. Mix the whole milk, large egg, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract together, then stir into the dry ingredients until just combined. Stop once you don’t see dry flour.
  3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Keep the surface level so the topping caramelizes across the whole cake.
Add topping and bake
  1. Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle over the entire surface of the batter. Cover every corner so you get a crackled, caramelized top.
  2. Lay thin slices of cold butter across the top of the cinnamon sugar, covering as much surface as possible. As it bakes, the butter pools and turns bubbly and caramelized.
  3. Bake for 25–30 minutes at 375°F, until a toothpick comes out clean and the top is bubbly and caramelized. The golden, crackled top is the visual cue the center is set.

Notes

Pro tip: sprinkle the cinnamon sugar all the way to the edges, then place butter slices in a near-even layer so you get maximum crackle on top. Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate up to 5 days; rewarm briefly in the microwave. Freezing: yes, freeze individual squares up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat milk and a light butter substitute for the topping.