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High Altitude Snickerdoodle Cake

November 17, 2021 by Heather Smoke 53 Comments

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One of my favorite cake recipes is for this high altitude snickerdoodle cake. Just the aroma of the butter, cinnamon and sugar is intoxicating! This is a buttermilk cake with butter and cream cheese in the batter, for a rich, moist and dense cake that’s somewhere between a cake and a cookie. It’s frosted with cinnamon vanilla bean buttercream and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, and has become a favorite cake with everyone who tastes it. This cake deserves to be made again and again, especially in the fall.

Looking for more snickerdoodle recipes? You’ll love these high altitude snickerdoodle cookies, snickerdoodle muffins, and no churn cinnamon ice cream.

This post was originally written in May 2014, updated in November 2021.

A snickerdoodle cake with piped buttercream, surrounded by Pirouettes cookies and tied with a brown satin ribbon.

This site contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.  This means that I may make a small commission if you purchase a product using those links.  This in no way affects my opinion of those products and services.  All opinions expressed on this site are my own.

The Flavor of Snickerdoodles in a Cake

So before we get into making this snickerdoodle cake, let’s talk about snickerdoodle cookies. Snickerdoodles are soft, chewy, sweet and spicy cookies that are coated in cinnamon and sugar. They taste like butter, cinnamon and vanilla. They’re also tangy, from the addition of the leavening agent, cream of tartar. That tanginess is what sets them apart from every other cookie, giving them their own unique flavor.

Snickerdoodles have been around since the 1800s, and their name is half the fun (the other half being how fun and delicious they are to eat). They are likely Dutch or German in origin, and their name may have come from the German word Schneckennudeln, which roughly translates as “crinkly cookies”. Or maybe it was just a fun and silly word that someone made up!

To get as much snickerdoodle flavor into today’s cake as possible, of course there’s plenty of butter, sugar and cinnamon. There’s also buttermilk, which is rich and sour, and perfectly emulates the tangy flavor of the cream of tartar. This is also a more dense cake, almost like a pound cake, so you really feel like you’re eating a snickerdoodle cookie but in a delicious soft cake.

A snickerdoodle cake with piped buttercream, surrounded by Pirouettes cookies and tied with a brown satin ribbon.

See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.

Ingredients

To emulate that tangy essence of snickerdoodle cookies, I knew that my recipe for snickerdoodle cake needed to be made with buttermilk. Buttermilk is acidic and tangy, and it’s the perfect ingredient to both flavor the cake and give it a beautiful texture and soft crumb.

I make this high altitude cake using the standard creaming method. First, I cream together softened butter and cream cheese (which also adds more snickerdoodle flavor) with granulated sugar and brown sugar until fluffy. Then, I add in the eggs and vanilla.

For the dry ingredients, I sift cake flour together with baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Then I add the dry ingredients to the batter, alternating with the buttermilk.

Because this is essentially a pound cake, you can expect your cake layers to be tender, rich, moist, with a velvety crumb that’s a little dense.

Ingredients for making snickerdoodle cake.

Cinnamon Vanilla Bean Buttercream

The buttercream on this cake is spiced with quite a bit of cinnamon, a pinch of nutmeg and salt, and real vanilla bean, although you can use vanilla bean paste also. It’s fluffy and creamy, cinnamony and sweet, and complements the cake perfectly.

An extra sprinkling of cinnamon-sugar on top of the cake adds that cookie essence, since snickerdoodles are always coated in cinnamon-sugar before they’re baked.

A slice of snickerdoodle cake with a vintage silver fork.

TIP: If you found my original snickerdoodle cake on Pinterest (pictured further down in the post), you’ll notice that cake was a shorter, 3-layer, 8-inch cake. I’ve since updated the photos with a taller, 4-layer, 6-inch cake. You can make either version with the amount of batter in this recipe.

Instructions

Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350.  Prepare four 6-inch round cake pans (or three 8-inch round pans) by spraying the bottoms only with non-stick spray.
  • In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, cream cheese and sugars for 5-7 minutes until light and fluffy.
  • Scrape the bowl down and beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating for a full minute after each addition.  Beat in the vanilla.
  • In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, and nutmeg.  With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk, starting and ending with the flour; mix just until combined.
  • Divide the batter between the pans.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out with moist crumbs but not batter.  Set the pans on wire racks, cover loosely with clean kitchen towels, and cool completely before frosting.

TIP: The cake can also be made one day ahead of time; keep fresh and moist by cooling in the pans for one hour, then turning out the warm cakes onto pieces of plastic wrap.  Wrap each cake individually in plastic wrap and assemble/frost/decorate the following day, or freeze for several months.

The top of a snickerdoodle cake with piped buttercream sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.

Buttercream

  • In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter and vanilla bean seeds/paste for one minute.
  • In a separate bowl, combine the powdered sugar, meringue powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt, then with the mixer on low, add by spoonfuls to the butter until mostly combined.
  • Add the milk or cream and whip on medium high, scraping the bowl down occasionally, for 4-5 minutes until very light and fluffy.
  • Stack the cakes, filling them with a ¼ inch thick layer of buttercream between each.  Frost all over with a thin crumb coat of buttercream, then chill for 15 minutes before frosting all over with a final layer of buttercream.
  • Arrange the Pirouettes around the sides of the cake. For a shorter 8-inch cakes, you can cut the Pirouettes in half. For a taller 6-inch cake, keep the Pirouettes whole.
  • If desired, fit a piping bag with tip 1M to pipe a rosette on top of the cake, then sprinkle with the cinnamon/sugar mixture.
A slice of four-layer snickerdoodle cake on a plate next to a bowl of cinnamon sugar.

Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common questions with cake making, so that you can be successful in your own baking! I also suggest reading my comprehensive posts on making Perfect American Buttercream and How to Stack, Fill, Crumb Coat and Frost Layer Cakes.

My Original Snickerdoodle Cake Design

When I first made this cake, I placed Pirouette Cookies all around the sides of the cake, piped buttercream roses on top with a generous sprinkling of cinnamon-sugar, and wrapped the whole thing up with a ribbon. People loved this design. I’ve seen so many re-creations over the years with the Pirouettes and the ribbon and rosettes. People have told me how they made this cake for weddings and birthdays and Mother’s Days, and it’s a cake that has become beloved by so many of their friends and family. I love that my cake has been a part of so many special celebrations. I’ve even heard from someone who made this cake to sell at a charity auction, where it sold for $2700!!

  • Top view of swirls of buttercream rosettes on a cake.
  • Closeup of swirls of buttercream dusted with cinnamon and sugar.
  • Snickerdoodle cake with buttercream rosettes, pirouette cookies around the cake, tied with a brown ribbon.

Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common questions with cake making, so that you can be successful in your own baking! I also suggest reading my comprehensive posts on making Perfect American Buttercream and How to Stack, Fill, Crumb Coat and Frost Layer Cakes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I still make this recipe if I don’t live at high altitude?

You can make it with a few adjustments for lower altitude. This article has good guidelines on how to adjust recipes for various altitudes.

Is this supposed to be a dense or fluffy cake?

This is a more dense cake that’s very moist and rich, somewhat like a pound cake.

What tip did you use to pipe the roses?

Tip 1M.

What can I substitute for the buttermilk?

If you don’t have any buttermilk on hand, you can make your own sour milk with 1 cup of whole milk + 1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar or apple cider vinegar.

How many Pirouettes will I need?

For a taller 6-inch cake, one can isn’t enough, so definitely get two cans. For a shorter 8-inch cake, you can cut the Pirouettes in half, so one can will be enough.

A snickerdoodle cake with piped buttercream, surrounded by Pirouettes cookies and tied with a brown satin ribbon.

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Favorite Products


Did you love today’s recipe? Please rate the recipe and let me know in the comments what you thought! Also, be sure to follow Curly Girl Kitchen on Instagram, and tag me when you try one of my recipes so I can see all your delicious creations!

A snickerdoodle cake with piped buttercream, surrounded by Pirouettes cookies and tied with a brown satin ribbon.

High Altitude Snickerdoodle Cake

Heather Smoke
A rich, moist and dense buttermilk cake that tastes just like a snickerdoodle! Frosted with cinnamon vanilla bean buttercream and sprinkled with cinnamon-sugar, this cake is to die for.

All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet.

5 from 12 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 50 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings15

Equipment

  • Stand Mixer

Ingredients
 

Cake

  • ¾ cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks or 6 oz), softened to room temperature
  • 3 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ⅔ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 2 ¼ cups cake flour (or all-purpose flour), spooned and leveled
  • ¾ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
  • 1 ¼ tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 cup whole buttermilk

Buttercream

  • 2 cups unsalted butter (1 lb), softened to room temperature
  • 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped (or 2 tsp vanilla bean paste, or 1 tbsp vanilla extract)
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tbsp meringue powder (optional)
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
  • 2-4 tbsp milk or cream, if needed for desired consistency
  • cinnamon & sugar, for sprinkling on top (1 tbsp granulated sugar + 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon)
  • 1-2 cans Pirouettes cookies (see note)

Instructions
 

Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Prepare three 8-inch round pans by spraying the bottoms only with non-stick spray.  (Note that for a taller cake, bake the batter in four 6-inch pans.)
  • In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, cream cheese and sugars for 5-7 minutes until light and fluffy.
  • Scrape the bowl down and beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating for a full minute after each addition.  Beat in the vanilla.
  • In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, and nutmeg.  With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk, starting and ending with the flour; mix just until combined.
  • Divide the batter between the pans.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out with moist crumbs but not batter.  Set the pans on wire racks, cover loosely with clean kitchen towels, and cool completely before frosting.
    (The cake can also be made one day ahead of time; keep fresh and moist by cooling in the pans for one hour, then turning out the warm cakes onto pieces of plastic wrap.  Wrap each cake individually in plastic wrap and assemble/frost/decorate the following day, or freeze for several months.)

Buttercream

  • In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter and vanilla bean seeds/paste for one minute.
  • In a separate bowl, combine the powdered sugar, meringue powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt, then with the mixer on low, add by spoonfuls to the butter until mostly combined.
  • Add the milk or cream and whip on medium high, scraping the bowl down occasionally, for 4-5 minutes until very light and fluffy.
  • Stack the cakes, filling them with a ¼ inch thick layer of buttercream between each.  Frost all over with a thin crumb coat of buttercream, then chill for 15 minutes before frosting all over with a final layer of buttercream.
  • Arrange the Pirouettes around the sides of the cake. For a shorter 8-inch cakes, you can cut the Pirouettes in half. For a taller 6-inch cake, keep the Pirouettes whole.
  • If desired, fit a piping bag with tip 1M to pipe a rosette on top of the cake, then sprinkle with the cinnamon/sugar mixture.

Notes

  1. For best results, read all the instructions and ingredients lists before getting started.  This cake is moist, dense and rich, since it’s intended to be like a snickerdoodle cookie but in cake form.
  2. In addition to letting your butter and cream cheese soften to room temperature so that you can easily cream them with the sugar, you should let all your dairy ingredients (including eggs and buttermilk) warm up to room temperature, which makes for a better cake batter.
  3. You can (and I have) make this cake using all-purpose flour instead of cake flour, however, the cake flour makes a much lighter and more tender cake that is just heavenly.
  4. If you don’t have buttermilk, pour 1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar into a liquid measuring cup, then add whole milk up to the 1 cup line.  Warm in the microwave on high for one minute to curdle the milk.  You don’t need to let it cool, and can add it to your batter while it’s warm.
  5. For the Pirouettes, you’ll need 2 cans of cookies for a tall 6-inch cake.  For a shorter 8-inch cake, you can cut the Pirouettes in half and just use 1 can.
Keyword Cake, Cinnamon, High Altitude, Snickerdoodle
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
https://curlygirlkitchen.com/

Filed Under: Cakes

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. [email protected]

    January 15, 2014 at 2:13 am

    Oh what a STUNNING cake! I would LOVE to have this on my birthday. Love the snickerdoodle flavors and the way you've decorated it truly looks like a present! : )

    Reply
    • Heather Smoke

      May 13, 2014 at 11:29 pm

      Thanks, Anne! I thought the ribbon, even though non-edible, was too pretty not to use.

      Reply
  2. Audrey

    January 15, 2014 at 5:03 am

    That is such a beautiful cake and it sounds delicious too! I love the swirling rose pattern you did on the top.

    Reply
    • Heather Smoke

      May 13, 2014 at 11:30 pm

      Thanks, Audrey! It was definitely yummy.

      Reply
  3. Sinead

    March 19, 2014 at 11:19 am

    This is the most beautiful cake! Could only wish I could pipe roses as well as this!

    Reply
    • Heather Smoke

      May 13, 2014 at 11:29 pm

      Sinead, it just takes a little practice. My first attempt at these looked pretty bad! 🙂

      Reply
  4. Lori

    May 10, 2014 at 3:59 am

    This cake looks amazing AND delicious — I'm definitely going to try this recipe!

    Reply
    • Heather Smoke

      May 13, 2014 at 11:28 pm

      Thanks, Lori, I hope you like it!

      Reply
    • Vicki Pettijohn

      February 27, 2021 at 8:48 pm

      What do I change in the recipe if I’m not Hugh altitude? I’m at 735 feet altitude. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Heather

        February 27, 2021 at 9:07 pm

        It’s likely you would need to decrease the flour, and possibly also the buttermilk, and increase the leavening. I’d recommend you review this article on how to make exact adjustments:
        https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/resources/high-altitude-baking

        Reply
  5. Unknown

    May 12, 2014 at 4:28 am

    My cake turned out sweet and moist but incredibly dense. Any suggestions?

    Reply
    • Heather Smoke

      May 13, 2014 at 11:28 pm

      It sounds like your cake turned out like it was supposed to. I mentioned in the post that this is a dense cake recipe (it's one I actually developed from a pound cake), so that it's reminiscent of a cookie. Dense cakes are actually quite a hit with the people who request cakes from me. 🙂 If you like a lighter cake, you might try using cake flour instead of AP flour and sub some of the butter with vegetable oil, both of which should make it lighter. I haven't tried either of those things with this recipe, so I can't vouch for the results.

      Usually, when I want a lighter white cake, I make a semi-homemade version instead of completely from scratch and start with a box cake mix and add milk or buttermilk, vanilla, etc, to make it taste homemade. You could try the recipe I made for this lemon cake (link below), and just use all milk instead of the milk/lemon juice. Good luck! 🙂

      curlygirlkitchen.com/2013/05/summer-cakes-in-pretty-pastels-dots-and.html

      Reply
  6. Unknown

    September 26, 2014 at 4:59 pm

    5 stars
    Thanks for the update! It tasted great and everyone loved it. It was just a bit on the short side, but not too bad once I filled with 2 thick layers of frosting. It must just be the elevation difference. I will definitely make it again and experiment with it to get a little more rise. I love dense cakes. I tend to gravitate to the rich and dense recipes too!

    Reply
  7. Anonymous

    November 6, 2014 at 1:12 am

    Could you substitute the vanilla bean for vanilla extract?

    Reply
    • Heather Smoke

      November 6, 2014 at 1:50 am

      Of course!

      Reply
  8. Quỳnh Trang

    March 16, 2015 at 8:39 am

    Amazing gift! I love the swirling roses on top, could you tell me which tip did you use to make ?

    Reply
    • Heather Smoke

      March 16, 2015 at 5:23 pm

      The tip I used is Wilton 1M.

      Reply
    • Quỳnh Trang

      March 17, 2015 at 11:17 am

      got that, thank u so much! Hope to see more lovely cakes 😡

      Reply
  9. Unknown

    February 12, 2016 at 10:01 pm

    I am so excited to make this for my Hubby for Valentine's Day, as his favorite cookie is snickerdoodle 🙂 Is the meringue powder essential to the frosting? Is there any substitute for it? Thanks!!
    -Caitlin

    Reply
    • Heather Smoke

      February 13, 2016 at 2:12 am

      I like adding the meringue powder because it adds a little more stability to buttercream, but it can definitely be left out. Happy valentines! 🙂

      Reply
  10. Rachel

    March 22, 2016 at 4:02 pm

    5 stars
    I made this for my mother for her birthday because she loves Snickerdoodles and it turned out AMAZING! It took a bit of work to make but it paid off it was moist and delicious and the best cake I've ever made.

    Reply
    • Heather Smoke

      March 26, 2016 at 4:35 pm

      I'm so glad you both loved it! 🙂

      Reply
  11. Unknown

    June 28, 2016 at 8:34 pm

    I love the look of the cake and would definitely try it out, hope it turns out good. Just wondering, can i bake them in one tin instead of 3 as my oven would not let me bake 3 tins at a time, max 2?

    Reply
    • Heather Smoke

      June 28, 2016 at 9:39 pm

      That's totally up to you, but you'd need to increase the baking time since you'd have more batter in the pan, and the cake may end up more dense, so I couldn't vouch for the results.

      Reply
  12. Unknown

    November 12, 2016 at 1:43 am

    5 stars
    I've made and assembled my cake (all but the Pirouette cookies!)but am serving it for a birthday party tomorrow so haven't tasted it yet. I will say that I'm not normally a fan of buttercream frosting but the addition of the cinnamon is amazing! Can't wait to have a whole slice!!

    Reply
  13. Jenny

    November 17, 2016 at 7:08 pm

    I just discovered your blog and am so excited to try out these recipes. This cake look amazing! DO you have suggestions for replacing nutmeg? For some reason my husband and I are not fond of that flavor. I think I usually just put in more cinnamon but wanted your opinion. I am in Mississippi so I am hoping I can figure out some of the altitude issues on my own. I read some of your other comments and will google it. I just want it to come out 1/2 as good as yours 🙂

    Reply
    • Heather Smoke

      November 17, 2016 at 11:31 pm

      Jenny, it's not a problem to just leave out the nutmeg since cinnamon is the main spice in snickerdoodles. You might add a pinch of ground cloves to replace the nutmeg, if you like cloves.

      Reply
      • Katie Ritzman

        March 10, 2022 at 4:27 pm

        I don’t see cinnamon listed as an ingredients for the cake itself?

        Reply
        • Heather Smoke

          March 10, 2022 at 4:35 pm

          Correct. The cinnamon in the buttercream provides plenty of cinnamon flavor.

          Reply
  14. Lisa

    February 8, 2017 at 5:32 pm

    5 stars
    I wanted to thank you so much for this beautiful recipe!I made this for my son's wedding as a grooms cake couple of years ago. It outshined the wedding cake. No lie. I made another and decorated it differently for my younger son's wedding a year later. Today it has been requested that I make it for my daughter-in-law's birthday. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the memories you have enabled me to create.

    Reply
    • Heather Smoke

      February 9, 2017 at 2:45 am

      Lisa, I'm thrilled the cake went over so well with your family and friends, and what an honor that you made it for your sons' weddings! Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience with the recipe.

      Reply
  15. Lisa

    February 8, 2017 at 5:32 pm

    5 stars
    I wanted to thank you so much for this beautiful recipe!I made this for my son's wedding as a grooms cake couple of years ago. It outshined the wedding cake. No lie. I made another and decorated it differently for my younger son's wedding a year later. Today it has been requested that I make it for my daughter-in-law's birthday. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the memories you have enabled me to create.

    Reply
    • Heather Smoke

      June 13, 2019 at 4:34 am

      Thank you so much! I love when my cakes can be a part of a special day for someone. I'm so thrilled everyone loved it.

      Reply
  16. Cammycap

    February 21, 2017 at 7:58 pm

    5 stars
    I made this for my daughters birthday and she loved it

    Reply
    • Heather Smoke

      June 13, 2019 at 4:34 am

      I'm so glad to hear that!

      Reply
  17. Unknown

    December 13, 2017 at 12:33 am

    5 stars
    This is one of my favorite cakes that you have done because the decorating is so simple, yet turns out so impressive looking. This usually isn't the case with a lot of cake decorating. The flavor of the cake is really interesting as well because of how close it is to a real snicker doodle cookie. I love to bring it in for my class in school and even after three times it's still a big hit. I did make a few slight changes to the cake though. I added cinnamon in place of the nutmeg because I don't care for it's flavor, I added more cinnamon to the frosting,and used half cream cheese half butter in the frosting because I thought that it gave the cake a more complex flavor and cuts back on the sweetness of it as a whole.

    Reply
    • Heather Smoke

      June 13, 2019 at 4:36 am

      The cream cheese in the frosting sounds amazing! I'll have to try that the next time I make it. 🙂

      Reply
  18. Lynn

    December 18, 2017 at 6:23 pm

    This is such a beautiful cake and snickerdoodle cookies are one of my all time favorite. I pray it turns out well. I am at sea level so wish me luck! Hey..if anything it will make not only a delicious cookie-cake to add to my dessert buffet and also Gorgeous centerpiece! Outstanding presentation..I look forward to a yummy tasting dessert. 🙂 (BTW..I make a lemon cake with cream cheese in the batter and it is dense and outstanding..so I know what to expect. Pure Heaven!

    Reply
    • Heather Smoke

      June 13, 2019 at 4:36 am

      Your lemon cream cheese cake sounds wonderful!

      Reply
  19. Maya Ange'le

    January 16, 2018 at 4:30 pm

    This cake is GORGEOUS and I'd love to try to make it for my birthday party next weekend. However, I live at sea level, so after reading some of the above comments I was wondering if you could let me know how to tweak the recipe so that it bakes correctly at that level. Thank you!

    Reply
  20. Shalini

    February 13, 2018 at 1:39 am

    Hi Heather, I just discovered your blog !! I love it. I assure you I am gonna be a regular visitor. Could you please write a step by step tutorial on decorating cake with flowers?

    Reply
  21. BusyBakingMom

    November 23, 2018 at 6:49 pm

    5 stars
    Amazzzzzing!! Everyone’s favorite dessert at Thanksgiving yesterday! I followed your recipe to the T and it turned out perfectly. I was very pleased that your frosting recipe actually made enough frosting to make the cake look like your picture!! I left off the pirouette cookies, as the sides looked too perfect to cover and left off the bow out of fear of wasting any frosting that would have stuck to it!! Love the tangy flavor of the cakes. Love the dense, ultra moist texture. Nailed it. Thanks for sharing!!!!

    Reply
    • Heather Smoke

      June 13, 2019 at 4:38 am

      I'm so happy to hear that! I love that you made it for Thanksgiving. I always like to have a beautiful cake, along with all the pie, at my Thanksgiving dinners, too. 🙂

      Reply
  22. Kiki

    June 11, 2019 at 6:46 pm

    5 stars
    I made this cake a few years ago for my fiance's birthday and it is the best cake I've ever had in my LIFE. I got sick off the frosting before i even ate it because it was so good.

    Let me say, it was the first cake i ever made from scratch and the instructions weren't confusing at all, even with having to tweak for a lower elevation.

    And the texture…I'm in love with how divine it it is. The density is awesome, really more cakes need to be this dense. I shared it with everyone i knew, even casting off slivers for friends. They haven't stopped bugging me about it since.

    Ive thought of trying this sort of cake with a spiced orange glaze, maybe even a chai tea base. One can get real creative with this cake. Thank you so incredibly much for sharing.

    Reply
    • Heather Smoke

      June 13, 2019 at 4:39 am

      Mmmm, I like your thought about the orange or the chai tea. You're right, there are so many ways to enhance the flavor of a recipe!

      Reply
  23. Em Weiss

    October 16, 2019 at 12:10 am

    Snickerdoodles are my favorite cookies, so I definitely need to try this cake! It sounds and looks amazing and delicious! <3

    Reply
  24. Culprit

    November 13, 2019 at 9:20 am

    Hello dear,
    The recipe of Snicker doodle Cake is really amazing. And definitely I want to try this at my home for my parents. But I have a question about it can you answer me that can I make it egg less or not? Please suggest me.

    Reply
  25. Katherine

    October 4, 2020 at 2:31 am

    Hello! I made this cake twice before realizing that I didn’t know how much baking powder to put in! The instructions mention it, but the ingredients list doesn’t have it. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Heather

      October 4, 2020 at 5:06 am

      Oh, I’m so sorry! I’ve fixed that in the recipe. It’s 1 1/4 tsp baking powder. Thank you for letting me know!

      Reply
  26. Barbara

    August 31, 2021 at 11:34 pm

    5 stars
    This cake is insanely good. I love love love how dense it is, while still being soft and not overwhelmingly sweet! It’s like a cross between a regular vanilla cake and a chiffon cake. Love it. For my cake, I baked two actual snickerdoodle cookies in 6″ pans and added those between the layers for extra snickerdoodle effect! Everyone raved about it. I’m going to omit the cinnamon (I used cinnamon instead of nutmeg) and use it as my go-to vanilla cake from now on!

    Reply
    • Heather

      September 2, 2021 at 3:22 pm

      I’m so glad you loved it! The snickerdoodle cookie layer inside sounds amazing..

      Reply
  27. Elaine

    February 22, 2022 at 7:18 pm

    This cake looks amazing! I can’t wait to try it. Question…. Can I put the cookies on the day before it is served or will they get soggy? Thanks for the recipe 😋

    Reply
    • Heather Smoke

      February 22, 2022 at 9:49 pm

      The Pirouettes don’t get soggy, since they’re just touching the frosting, and not the cake. So it’s fine to make and assemble it a day in advance. I hope you love it!

      Reply

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I'm Heather, and welcome to my Colorado kitchen, where you will find high-altitude tested recipes for beautifully photographed cakes, baked goods and sweets. I believe that the kitchen is the heart of a home, and everyone is welcome in mine. So stay a while, sip a cup of coffee, and bake something delicious with me!

A graphic on how to make perfect American buttercream.
A graphic on how to stack, fill, crumb coat and frost layer cakes.

Recipe Index

  • Breads, Biscuits, Muffins and Doughnuts
  • Breakfast
  • Brownies and Bars
  • Cakes
    • Buttercream
    • Cake Decorating
    • Cheesecakes
    • Classic Cake Flavors
    • Holiday Themed Cakes
  • Candy and Snacks
  • Christmas and Thanksgiving
    • Christmas Cakes
    • Christmas Cookies
  • Cookies
  • Crisps, Crumbles and Puddings
  • Cupcakes
  • Drinks
  • Halloween
  • How To Guides and Resources
  • Ice Cream and Frozen Treats
    • Frozen Custard
    • Ice Cream Sandwiches
    • No Churn Ice Cream
    • Popsicles
  • Jams and Sweet Sauces
  • Pies and Tarts
A graphic on how I improved my food photography with Foodtography School.
A graphic on how to make flaky pie dough.

Recent Posts

  • High Altitude Big Chocolate Chip Cookie Birthday Cake
  • Bourbon Peach Sugar Cookie Shortcakes
  • Grapefruit Champagne Granita
  • Gluten Free Eggless High Altitude Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Apricot Almond Oat Bars
  • Turquoise Floral Cake with Piped Buttercream Flowers
  • High Altitude Black Forest Cake
  • High Altitude Cardamom Almond Loaf Cake
  • Apple Rhubarb Puff Pastry Turnovers with Lemon Icing
  • High Altitude Almond Poppy Seed Cake

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I'm Heather, and welcome to Curly Girl Kitchen, where you will find high-altitude tested recipes for beautifully photographed cakes and sweets. I believe that the kitchen is the heart of a home, and everyone is welcome in mine. So stay a while, sip a cup of coffee, and bake something sweet with me!

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