Cinnamon Bread

Slice of cinnamon swirl bread on a wire rack.

This soft and fragrant cinnamon bread is filled with brown sugar-cinnamon swirls and topped with cinnamon sugar and vanilla icing. This quick bread recipe tastes similar to a cinnamon roll - but easier!

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Total Time 1

Servings

Calories 258kcal

Author Allison Mattina

Ingredients

Swirl filling:

⅓ cup (76g) packed brown sugar light or dark
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Bread:

2 cups (250g) all purpose flour lightly spooned and leveled
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup (73g) vegetable or canola oil
¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
½ cup (115g) sour cream or plain yogurt not nonfat
½ cup (114g) milk not nonfat

Cinnamon topping:

2 tablespoons granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Glaze (optional):

⅓ cup (45g) powdered sugar
1 teaspoon milk plus more if needed
couple drops vanilla extract

Instructions

Swirl filling:

Combine brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

Bread:

Preheat oven to 350°F with a rack in the center of the oven. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk oil, sugar, egg, vanilla, and sour cream until combined. Add half of the flour mixture and whisk until almost fully combined. Whisk in milk, then remaining flour mixture, being careful not to overmix. Tap the excess batter off the whisk and give the batter a couple thorough stirs with a silicone spatula, being sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Grease a 9x5* inch loaf pan. Pour half the batter into the pan. Top with the brown sugar-cinnamon mixture, then add the remaining batter. I like to dollop the top layer of batter all over the cinnamon mixture and then gently spread it with an offset spatula. Once the top batter is spread, use a thin sharp knife to swirl the cinnamon layer into the batter. I do a back and forth figure-8 across the length of the pan and then back again.
Combine the topping ingredients: 2 tablespoons sugar and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, and sprinkle on top of the batter.
Bake for 42-52 minutes (mine took 44 minutes), until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Be careful not to overbake. Place the loaf pan on a rack to cool completely. Tip: I like to run a thin sharp knife between the bread and the pan and then give the loaf a shake back and forth so any excess cinnamon sugar on top of the loaf settles down into the sides (extra flavor!).

Glaze:

Whisk the glaze ingredients until smooth and combined. Adjust the consistency by adding more powdered sugar (to thicken) or more milk (to thin). Drizzle over the cooled bread. Serve warm.

Notes

*If using a different size pan, adjust the bake time accordingly. Be careful not to overbake. Check the center with a toothpick and pull it from the oven as soon as it's cooked through.

Serving and storage:

Serve warm.

Store at cool room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated for up to 4 days. Individual slices can be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw and reheat before serving (this can be done in a microwave or toaster oven).

-Recipe adapted from Taste of Home magazine.

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