Cinnamon Swirl Bread Recipe
A moist & tender bread swirled with bursts of cinnamon and topped with a warm icing, this cinnamon swirl bread will delight (and won’t split)!
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Cinnamon Swirl Bread
This recipe for cinnamon bread is sweet, moist and drizzled with a delicious icing! When making the bread, we pour the batter into the pan in 3 layers, adding the cinnamon/brown sugar mixture in portions to ensure an even swirl throughout. I like making cinnamon bread this way because it keeps the bread from splitting apart at the cinnamon layer and disperses the flavor perfectly.
Make this for a Sunday morning brunch, as a gift for your neighbor, or as a sweet treat at a baby shower, party or reception.
Cinnamon Quick Bread Ingredients
Bread Base:
- Canola oil
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Butter extract – This is a niche ingredient, but it totally makes the flavor.
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder – This is going to give your bread a beautiful rise.
- Salt
- Buttermilk – This helps bring together the flavor and creates a tender, moist crumb.
- Water
Cinnamon Swirl:
- Granulated sugar
- Brown sugar
- Cinnamon – The star of the show, truly.
Vanilla Glaze:
- Salted butter – I always use salted butter, but you can use unsalted and add a pinch of salt to the frosting.
- Powdered sugar
- Clear vanilla – Using clear vanilla instead of regular will make the icing bright white instead of a murky white color.
- Heavy cream or milk, as needed
How to make Cinnamon Bread
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Spray a 9×5 inch loaf pan with non-stick spray and set aside.
- Combine the ingredients for the ‘cinnamon swirl’ in a small bowl and set aside.
- Using a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer, combine the canola oil, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla and butter extract.
- Next, add the flour, baking powder and salt. Start mixing slowly.
- While mixing, add the buttermilk and water to the bowl. You should end up with a thick batter.
- Add about 1/3 of the batter to the prepared pan and then sprinkle generously with the cinnamon swirl mixture.
- Use a knife to cut into the batter and swirl the cinnamon into the batter.
- Repeat adding about 1/3 of the batter on top of the cinnamon layer and then repeat sprinkling and swirling the cinnamon into the batter.
- Add the remaining batter to the loaf pan and sprinkle the remaining cinnamon onto the top and use a knife to swirl the cinnamon into the batter.
- Bake at 350° F for 50-55 minutes, covering the bread loosely with foil after about 30 minutes to prevent the top from over browning.
- Allow the bread to cool for 1 hour in the pan. After that, remove from the pan and make the icing.
Making the Icing
- To make the icing, first combine the butter with 1/2 cup of powdered sugar. Once completely incorporated, add another 1/2 cup of powdered sugar.
- Add a splash of heavy cream or milk to bring the mixture together, if needed, keeping the mixture thick.
- Add the last 1/2 cup of powdered sugar, mixing until combined.
- Next, add in the vanilla extract.
- Adjust the consistency by adding more heavy cream/milk. Remember a little goes a long way and you will want to keep the icing thick.
- Transfer the icing to a microwave safe bowl and microwave to heat and thin the icing.
- Pour the heated icing over your loaf of bread, slice and enjoy.
Cinnamon Swirl Bread Recipe Tips
How to serve Cinnamon Swirl Bread
I like to serve this bread cooled with warm icing on top!
What to do with Cinnamon Bread
This cinnamon bread is perfect for all types of parties or for gifting to neighbors and friends.
What to put on Cinnamon Swirl Bread
With the cinnamon swirl and warm icing on top, I don’t think you need to put anything on top of this bread.
How to store Cinnamon Sugar Bread
Store your cinnamon bread in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Homemade Cinnamon Bread Recipe FAQs
One of the main reasons cinnamon swirl bread separates is that it’s common to coat the bread with butter before applying the cinnamon mixture. This prohibits the layers from binding, which is why this recipe asks you to apply the cinnamon mixture on it’s own and then swirl it into the batter layer.
This cinnamon bread recipe calls for a total of 2 cups granulated sugar, ¼ brown sugar and 1 ½ cups powdered sugar.
The secret for mixing this quick bread is just mixing until the batter is combined and letting it remain thick.
My cinnamon bread recipe doesn’t call for yeast, opting for other rising agents like baking powder and buttermilk instead!
Other Desserts to Try
Cinnamon Sugar Bread (Cinnamon Swirl Bread)
Ingredients
Bread Base
- 2/3 cup canola oil
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp butter extract
- 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup water
Cinnamon Swirl
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
Vanilla Glaze
- 1/4 cup salted butter
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 tsp clear vanilla
- heavy cream or milk, as needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Spray a 9×5 inch loaf pan with non-stick spray and set aside.
- Combine the ingredients for the ‘cinnamon swirl’ in a small bowl and set aside.
- Using a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer, combine the canola oil, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla and butter extract.
- Next, add the flour, baking powder and salt. Start mixing slowly and add the buttermilk and water to the bowl while you finish mixing. You should end up with a thick batter.
- Add about 1/3 of the batter to the prepared pan and then sprinkle generously with the cinnamon swirl mixture.
- Use a knife to cut into the batter and swirl the cinnamon into the batter.
- Repeat adding about 1/3 of the batter on top of the cinnamon layer and then repeat sprinkling and swirling the cinnamon into the batter.
- Add the remaining batter to the loaf pan and sprinkle the remaining cinnamon onto the top. Use a knife to swirl the cinnamon into the batter.
- Bake at 350° F for 50-55 minutes, covering the bread loosely with foil after about 30 minutes to prevent the top from over browning.
- Allow the bread to cool for 1 hour in the pan. After that, remove from the pan and make the icing.
- To make the icing, first combine the butter with 1/2 cup of powdered sugar. Once completely incorporated, add another 1/2 cup of powdered sugar.
- To the mixture add a splash of heavy cream or milk to bring the mixture together, if needed, keeping the mixture thick.
- Add the last 1/2 cup of powdered sugar, mixing until combined.
- Finally, add in the vanilla extract. If needed, adjust the consistency of your icing by adding more heavy cream/milk. Remember a little goes a long way and you want to keep the icing thick.
- Transfer the icing to a microwave safe bowl and microwave to heat and thin the icing.
- Pour over your loaf of bread, slice and enjoy.
