Cinnamon Quick Bread

I was excited to try this recipe.  I came across it on the blog...

Closet Cooking

It was also on 2 other blogs and they all raved about it.  I liked it but I wouldn't rave about it. After it baked and cooled a bit, I drizzled some vanilla icing on top and that's when it became really tasty. Almost like a cinnamon roll.  I definitely think it was better with the icing.

The bread was easy to put together, as are most quick breads. The cinnamon/brown sugar filling was super potent.  At first it seemed like way too much cinnamon but after eating the results, I would say it's just right.  Most of the cinnamon mixture that I sprinkled on top of the loaves before baking came off when I popped them out of the pan but there was still plenty left. The other blogs had made one or two big loaves, I made 5 mini ones with a double recipe.   I tell ya one thing, my house smells absolutely heavenly right now!  I think these would be really good in muffin form. Oh, and I should mention that I did not add the lemon zest at all.  I just could not imagine the combination of lemon & cinnamon. Lemon zest has such a strong flavor that I didn't want it to compete with the cinnamon flavor.

 This is before I figured out it would be better with vanilla icing. Fair...but not really good.

 I cut some slices while still really warm and the cinnamon/brown sugar filling was caramel like in texture and kind of oozing out! Mmmm... so good!



My simple vanilla icing consisted of powdered sugar, whole milk and some vanilla extract.



Cinnamon Bread

From: Closet Cooking

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter (room temperature)
1 cup white sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup brown sugar
2 heaping tablespoons ground cinnamon
Directions:

1. Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
2. Cream the butter and sugar in another bowl.
3. Beat in the eggs, salt, vanilla and lemon zest.
4. Mix 1/3 of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
5. Mix 1/2 of the buttermilk into the wet ingredients.
6. Mix 1/3 of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
7. Mix the remaining buttermilk into the wet ingredients.
8. Mix 1/3 the remaining dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
9. Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.
10. Pour 1/3 of the batter into a greased 9x5 inch loaf pan.
11. Pour 1/3 of the cinnamon mixture on top.
12. Pour 1/3 of the batter on top.
13. Pour 1/3 of the cinnamon mixture on top.
14. Pour the remaining batter on top.
15. Pour the remaining cinnamon mixture on top.
16. Bake in a preheated 350F oven until a toothpick pushed into the center comes out clean, about an hour.