Kendra's Kitchen Creations: It's Been a While...Time for Some Cinnamon-Swirl Bread!

Cinnamon Swirl Quick Bread!

There has been a definite lull in my postings for the past few weeks. Why? Oh just because I've started a new job and my life has been insanely busy. I really shouldn't make excuses though, there should always be time for my blog and cooking. Which, I have been cooking, just haven't been taking my pictures and posting them to my blog. Oh well, guess that just means I'll have to make some of my recipes again! I did however manage to take picture of this delicious bread.

Now, this bread is so freaken good. And it's so easy to make. Just a few ingredients, most of which you probably have lying around the house already! This bread goes great with a cup of coffee in the morning or it could be an afternoon snack...evening dessert. It's a multi-functional bread really. I usually eat mine in the morning with my coffee. Speaking of...I need some. *wait 5 minutes* Ahhh coffee, yummm. I've pretty much kicked my redbull habit now. Only maybe once or twice a week do I have one. Way better from 1 or 2 a day.

Anyways, back to this bread. Here's what you'll be needing!

2 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 cups sugar, divided

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

1 egg

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

For the Glaze:

1/4 cup confectioner's sugar

1-1/2-2 teaspoons of millk

Now let's get started! First things first you're going to preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. I started using my Breville Smart Oven to do a long of my bread baking, well just a lot of my baking/cooking in general because it's getting to be summer in Arizona and I really don't want to heat up my whole house. That and I just love using my Breville. So preheat that oven!

Grab your dry ingredients! In a large bowl combine the flour, 1 cup of sugar, baking soda, and salt.

Set that aside for just a minute or two...or three.

Now in a separate bowl combine the buttermilk, egg, and oil. Whisk it together really well the the egg is well beaten and the oil is combined in with the buttermilk and egg. Oil has a tendency to want to stay separate so really work it in there!

Make a well (or a hole as my Baba says) in the dry ingredients and pour the buttermilk mixture into it. I never used to do this, turns out it really helps you mix everything up with out the fear of over mixing, which in baking is a big No-No.

Does it look like that right now? Good. Grab a spatula or spoon of some sort and mix the ingredients JUST UNTIL MOISTENED!!!

Oooooooooooo! Looking good!! Stir it just a little bit more to get those dry parts moist!!

STOP!!! Yes! That's perfect! Don't mix anymore!!

Now grab a 9x5 loaf pan. Grease the bottom of it. Just the bottom! I usually take some shortening and grease it. The more I use my Pampered Chef stoneware though, the less I need to grease it. I just greased it this time because I hadn't used my loaf pan in a while. Although right now...I really want to make some bread. Maybe I'll do that later today...or tomorrow. Hmmmmm ok I'm getting off topic, it might be the coffee kicking in!

OK take about half of the batter and pour it into the loaf pan.

Now you're going to combine the remaining sugar and the cinnamon then sprinkle about half of it on top of the batter that is in the pan like so -->

Now, repeat!

Pour the rest of the batter...

Then the rest of the cinnamon sugar. Now take a knife and GENTLY cut through the batter to create a swirl of cinnamon sugar. Don't over swirl it, then you won't have that delicious cinnamon-sugary swirl in the bread it'll just be...well all mixed together.

Bake the bread at 350F for about 45-50 minutes depending on your oven. You want a toothpick to come out clean when it's inserted into the center of the loaf. But sometimes with the cinnamon-sugar swirl it will appear to come out sticky. Just try to find a place that isn't so swirl heavy to do your toothpick test. Wouldn't want you to dry out and over bake your delicious, tasty bread!!

Let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before removing it to a wire rack to cool completely.

Now for the glaze....

Take the powdered/confectioner's sugar, whatever you want to call it, and add the milk. Add just enough milk to get the glaze to the right consistency to drizzle it over the loaf of bread.

Yep, just like that!

I like to just gently drizzle it over the loaf and sometimes let it drip off the sides a bit. Occasionally I do need to make a bit more glaze depending on how much I want on my bread and how my drizzling technique is that day.