This Cinnamon Swirl Bread is a sweet quick bread recipe with a ribbon of cinnamon sugar baked inside! The irresistible creamy glaze is the perfect finishing touch.
I’ve shared many quick bread recipes on All Things Mamma, from zucchini bread to banana bread and cozy loaves of cream cheese filled pumpkin bread, but this Cinnamon Swirl Bread is pretty unique! There’s no fruit or veggie involved in the making of this bread, but there is a spiced, sugary swirl in the middle. Between the cinnamon sugar and the glaze, I’d say this bread is a little bit like cinnamon rolls in quick bread form—but unlike cinnamon rolls, there’s no yeast needed! (Technically speaking, quick bread is any bread recipe that’s made with baking soda or powder instead of yeast.)
Cinnamon Swirl Bread Recipe
The other thing that I love about this recipe is that it’s easier to make than you might expect and you probably have most of the ingredients on hand in your kitchen already. That makes this recipe perfect for when you’re in the mood to bake, but you don’t want to go to the store with a huge shopping list of ingredients to pick up!
With the holidays coming up, I love the idea of making this Cinnamon Swirl Bread as part of a Christmas breakfast or brunch or even to give as a small gift for neighbors instead of the traditional cookie tray. And if you make this loaf for yourself, I definitely recommend sitting down to enjoy it with a mug of hot tea or coffee!
Ingredients
For the Bread:
- All-purpose flour
- Sugar – You’ll need some for the bread and some for the filling
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Buttermilk
- Egg – Let the egg sit on the counter to come to room temperature
- Vegetable oil
- Ground cinnamon
For the Glaze:
- Confectioners’ sugar
- Whole milk
Substitutions
- Vegetable oil – You can use canola oil instead.
- Buttermilk – If you don’t want to buy buttermilk, you can combine a scant cup of whole milk with a tablespoon of lemon juice and let it sit for a few minutes.
How to Make Cinnamon Swirl Bread
1. Prepare
Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease the bottom of a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
2. Make the Batter
Combine the flour, a cup of sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together the buttermilk, egg, and oil. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
3. Make the Cinnamon Swirl
Whisk together the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl.
4. Assemble
Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle with half of the cinnamon sugar. Add the remaining batter and sprinkle that with the remaining cinnamon sugar. Use a butter knife to cut through the batter and make a swirl.
5. Bake
Bake the bread for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Finish and Serve
Cool the bread in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove it and let it finish cooling on a wire rack. Combine the confectioners’ sugar and milk in a small bowl and drizzle it over the loaf.
Hint: Sift the confectioners’ sugar before making the glaze. This ensures that the glaze is completely smooth, with no lumps.
Variations
- Cinnamon-Cardamom Bread – A generous pinch of cardamom adds a little bit more warmth to the cinnamon swirl.
- Cream Cheese Frosted Bread – You can skip the glaze and slather cream cheese frosting onto the top of the bread for a more decadent dessert.
- Cinnamon Swirl Muffins – Reduce the baking time by half and make this recipe in muffin tins instead of a loaf pan.
FAQ
Is cinnamon bread good for you?
Not exactly! This is definitely a dessert recipe or a special occasion breakfast.
Can you freeze cinnamon bread?
Yes, this recipe is great for freezing! Wrap it well in at least two layers of plastic wrap and freeze it for up to 2 months. Let it thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
Top Tip
Don’t overmix when you’re using a knife to make the swirl. Too much swirling will incorporate the cinnamon sugar into the batter and you won’t get the pretty effect!
If you’re looking for more…try these recipes next!
- Apple Cinnamon Muffins
- Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
- Cinnamon Sugar Breakfast Muffins
- Two-Ingredient Pumpkin Spice Muffins
Cinnamon Swirl Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1-1/2 cups sugar divided
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- For the Glaze:
- 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1-1/2 to 2 teaspoons whole milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease the bottom only of a 9×5-in. loaf pan.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, 1 cup sugar, baking soda and salt. Combine buttermilk, egg and oil; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.
- In a small bowl, combine cinnamon and remaining sugar.
- Pour half the batter into the pan and sprinkle with half the cinnamon-sugar.
- Add the remaining batter and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon-sugar; cut through batter with a knife to swirl.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool 10 minutes before removing from the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To a small bowl, combine confectioners' sugar and milk. Drizzle over loaf.
