Cinnamon Swirl Bread

I've been wanting to make a cinnamon swirl bread, for forever now, but never really got around to it. This week I got a little sick (you know, the usual winter flu), and funny thing is all I wanted to eat was homemade bread. 

Who was going to bake if not me?

I whipped out the recipe I've been saving, and began. I changed a couple of things in the recipe - I prefer dark brown sugar for the taste and the look. I think the swirl stands out more due to the dark sugar. I also left out the raisins, they are just not really my thing! The bread was fabulous, it was exactly what I needed. You can't go wrong with a sweet cinnamon fresh bread! 

oh and the smell was heaven...

I bake when I'm happy? no doubt.

I bake when I'm upset? yup.

Now I know, I bake when I'm sick as well!

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Adapted From Smells Like Home

Printable Recipe

3½ cups (16 ounces) unbleached bread flour
4 teaspoons granulated sugar
1¼ teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons instant yeast
1¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 large egg, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) butter, melted and cooled
½ cup (4 ounces) buttermilk or whole milk, at room temperature
¾ cup (6 ounces) water, at room temperature
1½ cups (9 ounces) raisins, rinsed and drained, optional

For the swirl:
1 egg and 1 tbsp water, lightly beaten together
¾ cup dark brown sugar mixed with 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

For the topping (optional):
2 tablespoons butter, melted
½ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Stir together the flour, sugar, salt, yeast, and cinnamon in a mixing bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer). Add the egg, shortening, buttermilk, and water. Stir together with a large spoon (or mix on low speed with the paddle attachment) until the ingredients come together and form a ball. Adjust with flour or water if the dough seems too sticky or too dry and stiff.

Sprinkle flour on a counter, transfer the dough to the counter, and begin kneading (or mixing on medium speed, switching to the dough hook). The dough should be soft and pliable, tacky but not sticky. If using, add the raisins. Add flour as you knead (or mix), if necessary, to achieve this texture. Knead by hand for approximately 10 minutes (or by machine for 6 to 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.  Ferment at room temperature for approximately 2 hours, or until the dough doubles in size (or as I did, leave the dough wrapped overnight in the refrigerator).

Roll out dough into a 12 by 10 inch rectangle, brush lightly with half of the egg wash, then sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture.  Roll up the dough and form a loaf. Place loaf in a lightly oiled 10 by 5 inch loaf pan, and cover loosely with plastic wrap.  Proof at room temperature for 60 to 90 minutes, or until the dough crests above the lips of the pans and is nearly doubled in size.

About 10 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F with the oven rack on the middle shelf. Brush the top of the loaf with the rest of the egg wash. Bake for 15 minutes. Rotate the pan 180 degrees for even baking and continue baking for another 15 minutes. The finished bread should register 190 degrees F in the center and be golden brown on top and lightly golden on the sides and bottom. Allow the loaf to cool completely on a rack before removing from pan and cutting.

For the optional topping: Mix together the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon for the topping in a shallow plate. Brush the tops of the loaves with melted butter as soon as they come out of the bread pans, and then roll them in the cinnamon sugar. Cool loaves on a rack for at least 1 hour, before slicing or serving.