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Cinnamon Swirl Quick Bread could be called Cinnamon VERY Quick Bread! A simple, from scratch quick bread topped with a cinnamon streusel swirl.
I love this bread. It could be called Cinnamon VERY QUICK Bread because it is so easy to make.
I love the cinnamon swirl and the buttermilk keeps it moist.
Basically, I love everything about it. Except for the fact that my mom, who passed this recipe on to me, only makes it once a year for Thanksgiving or Christmas. I have taken over the recipe and I make it year-round.
I made myself a loaf earlier this week (so I could take some updated pictures) and have eaten nearly the entire thing. By myself. Apparently the baby likes it just as much as I do.
Serve this bread at breakfast with Ham & Potato Breakfast Casserole or after a dinner of Meatloaf with Brown Gravy as a dessert!
Want more cinnamon themed recipes? Try my cinnamon roll cheesecake or toffee doodles!
What is an example of quick bread?
A quick bread is a bread that uses leavening agents (baking soda, baking powder, etc.) instead of yeast to make the bread rise. Like this cinnamon quick bread, oatmeal quick bread, or zucchini bread.
Ingredients you’ll need
Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this recipe. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card.
- Flour – all purpose flour
- Sugar – regular, granulated sugar
- Baking Powder – used to make the bread rise (in place of yeast)
- Cinnamon – since cinnamon is the star of the show in this bread, pick a good quality cinnamon like ceylon cinnamon that isn’t full of fillers.
- Salt – to balance the sweet
- Buttermilk – see notes below for a buttermilk substitute if you don’t have any on hand.
- Vegetable Oil – or canola will work
- Vanilla Extract – please use a real vanilla extract. I know it’s a bit pricey, but it’s worth it. I grab it at Sam’s or Costco because it’s cheaper to buy in bulk.
- Eggs
How to make Cinnamon Quick Bread
Throwing this bread together is SO easy.
First, to a large mixing bowl add the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, buttermilk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and eggs. Beat with a hand mixer for 3 minutes, until fully combined.
Next, in a small bowl, make the streusel by adding sugar, cinnamon, and room temperature butter and roughly combining it with a fork.
Then, pour the bread batter into a greased 9 x 5 loaf pan and then sprinkle the streusel mixture over the top. Gently swirl with a knife.
Finally, bake for 45-55 minutes or until the center is set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
How do you know when quick bread is done?
Insert a toothpick into the center of the quick bread to see if it’s done. If the toothpick comes back clean or with a moist crumb on it, it’s done. It should also have a cracked top and slightly pull away from the sides of the pan.
Why did my quick bread fall in the middle?
Sometimes your bread will fall in the center which can be disappointing. There are a few reasons why this might have happened – it might not have been fully done baking, you didn’t use enough leavening agents, or you let the batter sit too long before baking it.
Buttermilk Substitute
If you really want to make cinnamon bread but realized you don’t have buttermilk, I have a hack for you!
Add one tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar to a liquid measuring cup, and add enough milk until it measures 1 cup. Stir, and let sit for five minutes before using.
Need more quick bread recipes? Try these:
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Quick Bread
- Blueberry Ice Cream Bread
- Coconut Banana Bread
- Raspberry Dark Chocolate Banana Bread
- Chocolate Marble Zucchini Bread
- Neapolitan Ice Cream Bread
Equipment you’ll need
- Mixing Bowls – I always talk about how I love these with the grippy bottoms, but I really do.
- Hand Mixer – As much as I love my stand mixer, I end up using my hand mixer more.
- Silicone Spatulas – I have far too many of these, but I use them for EVERYTHING.
- Loaf Pans – I like a simple glass loaf pan. I also have some dark non-stick ones and silicone one. Any will work.
Cinnamon Quick Bread
Ingredients
For the Bread
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
For the Streusel
- 2 Tablespoons granulated white sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter softened to room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spray a 9 x 5 baking pan with non-stick spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine all “Bread” ingredients and beat 3 minutes on medium with an electric mixer. Pour into prepared baking dish.2 cups all purpose flour, 1 cup granulated white sugar, 4 teaspoons baking powder, 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon, 1 ¼ teaspoons salt, 1 cup buttermilk, ⅓ cup vegetable oil, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 2 large eggs
- In a small bowl, combine all “Streusel” ingredients (make sure you start with room temperature butter!). I use a fork to bring it together.2 Tablespoons granulated white sugar, 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Sprinkle the streusel over batter & swirl.
- Bake 45-55 minutes or until the center is set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag me on Instagram @melissa_pplates so I can see!
Originally published July 21, 2010
It’s in the oven now. I healthful it up a little but using half while grain wheat flour, and applesauce in place of the oil. I picked up a lovely Saigon Cinnamon at the bulk food store. This combined with your slow cost cinnamon almonds are making my house smell amazing.!
Yay, that makes me so happy! I have remade this bread so many times to take new pictures but we keep eating it before pics! Thanks for the reminder 🙂
I think there is a typo here. 4 tsp of baking powder?
No, 4 tsp is correct 🙂
This cinnamon bread was delicious, not too sweet. So easy to make. Great with a cup of coffee.
I’m glad you liked it, Ann!
I want to try your recipe, but only have self rising flour. How much baking powder do I need for the recipe?
Hi Jeanie – I haven’t tested it, but I would do 2 cups of the self rising flour & cut the baking powder down to 1 teaspoon. Let me know how it works out!
Can you use almond milk instead of buttermilk
I have not tried it but it should work. You can add lemon juice or ACV & let stand for 10 mins to “curdle”.
Fabulous! This quick bread recipe isn’t called “quick” because of how quickly you can whip it up and bake it. It’s because it’s so good and disappears really quick! Thanks for the recipe!!
Thank you, Lisa! I’m so glad you liked it =)
How long does it keep for? Trying to decide if I can make today for 2 days from now or if I need to wait till tomorrow.
It will keep for 3-5 days. It might dry out a touch. On the later days, I stick the slices in the microwave & they’re good as new 🙂
Very quick to make. I made my own buttermilk using 8oz of milk and 1 TBsp of vinegar. I had some left over Pumpkin puree from when I made my Pumpkin spice latte earlier. So I add that into the mix. I noticed it was a little too runny after doing that and then 1/2 cup of flour. The batter taste great. The cake is in the oven,now. I can’t wait to cut into it. Great recipe Melissa!
Yum, I hope it turned out well! Thanks for reporting back 🙂
UPDATE: This bread came out so delicious. I will be making it again.
Yay =)
Great, quick recipe; I made into quick muffins with chocolate chips thanksgiving morning and it did not disappoint! Perfect for breakfast as not too sweet. I love it when I find a recipe that allows me to dump everything in one bowl!
Now I need to try adding chocolate chips! Thanks for reporting back =)
This recipe sounds so yummy. Do you think adding some raisins would interfere with the rising?
I think it should do ok. I would sprinkle about a Tablespoon of flour onto them & toss to coat to help prevent them from sinking.
This was amazing! Thank you for sharing!!
I’m so glad you liked it!
Delicious!
Thanks, Rachel!
Delicious!
Thanks, Pat!
CAN THIS BE PUT IN A 9 X 13 PAN
Yes, that should work fine. Start with the same bake time, it may need a couple extra minutes.
I was hoping to split these into mini loaf pans for Christmas gifts. Any idea on how long I should cook them for?
Thanks! 😀
Hi Lisa – how mini? Like a 3×5/2 cup pan? If so, I would check them at 20 minutes to see how they’re doing. They likely need about 25 minutes.
Myself and my family loved this recipe. I will definitely keep this in my rotation. Super simple!!!
I would like to make this ahead to take on a trip and wanted to know if this can be frozen. Thanks, Jennie
Yep. I would let the loaf cool, wrap it in plastic wrap, wrap it in foil, drop it in a freezer bag & freeze. When you’re ready, let it thaw at room temp.
Help! I am 68 and a very experienced well seasoned baker. I just made this, exactly as instructed. Sammy glass pan , but when cooking if flowed over the edges of the load pan all over my oven! I’ve never had this happen before lol. It does taste absolutely delicious, although not cooked, so it’s isn’t that I accidently used tablespoons for the baking powder. It doesn’t taste like way to much baking powder. How weird. What happened? I live almost sea level in Victoria BC Canada.
Good chemistry rules are 1 to 1 1/4 tsp baking powder to every cup of flour for quick breads. I read your comments from others and stuck with your recipe as you assured your readers 4 tsp. Baking powder was correct. I should have trusted my own judgement because that’s an impossible equation. I can’t believe for a second you made yours as you directed in one loaf pan add you directed, and it didn’t over flow. Or… Your baking powder wherever you live is very different than in Canada. Or yours is old and not performing as it should.
I can assure you it is correct as written, as all the other reviews are glowing, and I make this every couple months (for the last 10+ years). You used a 9×5 loaf pan? Here’s a video of me making it…
I found this bread to be dry and I could taste the salt which made it too salty. Plus the topping was more like a paste instead of a crumb topping and I make crumb toppings for all muffins and bread, so I know I didn’t do anything wrong. I will not make this bread again.
Nowhere is a crumb topping referenced, the recipe makes a streusel that is swirled into the bread. It has never been dry or salty so it sounds like something went wrong.