Whole Wheat Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Whole Wheat Cinnamon Swirl Bread

The other day I was looking through one of my many food magazines that I get, and I came across a recipe for cinnamon raisin bread. I love cinnamon bread, I hate raisins, so I set about adapting this recipe and tweaking ingredients to make it work.

Whole Wheat Cinnamon Swirl Bread

The recipe calls for buttermilk and I didn’t have any available. To remedy this problem I took 2 cups of milk and added 2 tsp of lemon juice to create buttermilk.  There are a ton of substitutions you should remember for cooking, and the buttermilk trick is one I use a lot, because i never actually BUY buttermilk.   To make buttermilk on the fly, add 1 tsp of lemon juice for every cup of milk and let it sit for about 5 minutes.

Maddie and I decided that in order to add a little fiber and make the bread a little healthier we should put in two cups of regular, white, unbleached flour and two cups of whole wheat flour.  Most quickbread recipes can handle this substitution.  using 100% whole wheat flour is tricky though, it doesn’t always work because white flour has special magic things in it that makes it better for baking.  I don’t know what they are, I just know that using 100% whole wheat flour in a recipe = blah.

This will make the bread taste a little different but essentially gives you a healthier but great tasting cinnamon bread. While mildly sweet, this bread is heartwarming and a quick breakfast or on-the-go snack. This bread is also very moist and better tasting than the unhealthy and expensive cinnamon breads that you will find at the supermarket or Starbucks.  I like mine not warmed up with a smear of butter, Maddie likes hers warmed up with butter.  Either way, its a great recipe and makes two loaves, one for you and one for the freezer, or a friend.

Whole Wheat Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Author Carrie Hill

Ingredients

  • 2 Cups all purpose flour
  • 2 Cups whole wheat flour
  • 2 Cups sugar divided
  • 2 Teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 Teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 Cups milk
  • 2 Teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1/2 Cup canola or vegetable oil
  • 3 Teaspoons ground cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Measure 2 cups of milk into a glass measuring cup and add the 2 Tsp of lemon juice. Set aside
  2. In a large bowl, combine both types of flour, 1-1/2 cups sugar, soda and salt.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk mixture, and oil.
  4. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened, don't overmix.
  5. Combine cinnamon and remaining sugar in a small bowl and set aside.
  6. Spoon half of the batter into two greased loaf pans. Sprinkle with half of the reserved cinnamon -sugar; repeat layers. Cut through batter with a knife to swirl.
  7. Bake at 350 for 55-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.
  8. Cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing to wire racks.
  9. Wrap in foil, place in zip bag, and freeze for up to three months.