Sourdough Cinnabon Birthday

Dan often requests a cinabon birthday cake and this year was exceptional with the addition of our sourdough starter. This is a giant, pull-apart cinnamon roll cake baked in a cast-iron skillet — soft, light, and perfectly spiced, with a balanced butter-to-cinnamon ratio and no dairy. It’s made with active sourdough starter, baked the same day, and feeds a crowd. This version is not overly sweet, lets the cinnamon shine, and has a tender crumb that stays soft even after cooling.

Categories: Bread, Dairy Free, Dessert

Ingredients:

  • 1000 grams Whit Flour
  • 300 grams Active Starter
  • 260 grams Warm Water
  • 2 Eggs
  • 100 grams Sugar
  • 120 grams Melted Plant Butter
  • 18 grams Sea Salt
  • For the Filling
  • 150 grams Softened Plant Butter
  • 140 grams Brown Sugar
  • 20 grams Cinnamon
  • Pinch of Salt
  • For the Icing
  • 100 grams Powdered Sugar
  • 2 TBL Plant Milk of choice
  • .5 tsp Vanilla
  • 1 TBL Softened Plant Butter

Directions:

1. Mix the Dough
In a large bowl, mix the starter, water, eggs, sugar, melted margarine, and vanilla. Add the flour and salt and mix until no dry flour remains. The dough will look shaggy.
Cover and rest for 20 minutes.

2. Stretch and Folds
Over the next hour, perform 3 stretch-and-folds, spaced about 20 minutes apart. The dough will become smoother and more elastic with each fold.

3. Bulk Ferment (Optional Cold Pause)

After the final fold, either:
Let the dough rise at room temperature until slightly puffy (about 2–3 hours), or
Refrigerate for up to 3 hours, then bring back to room temperature for 30–45 minutes before shaping.
This dough is forgiving and works well with a short cold rest.

4. Roll and Fill

Lightly flour the counter. Roll the dough into a rectangle about 24 × 18 inches, roughly 1/4 inch thick.
Spread the soft margarine evenly over the dough. Mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt, then sprinkle evenly over the surface.
Roll tightly from the long side into a log.

5. Shape

Grease the cast-iron skillet well. Coil the log into a spiral and place it in the pan. If the log is very long, you can cut it in half and coil both pieces together.

6. Final Rise

Cover loosely and let rise at room temperature for 2–3 hours, until puffy and relaxed. It does not need to double.

7. Bake

Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C.
Bake on the middle rack for 45–55 minutes.
If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil after about 30 minutes.

Optional for extra oven spring: cover with a dome lid for the first 15 minutes, then remove.

8. Finish

Let cool for 20–30 minutes.
Whisk icing ingredients and drizzle lightly over warm slices, or serve on the side.

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