Cinnamon Swirl Donut Bread
There’s a particular magic that happens when the scent of warm cinnamon and baking sugar fills the kitchen. It’s a smell that promises comfort, a little bit of indulgence, and something truly special. This Cinnamon Swirl Donut Bread captures that exact feeling. It’s not quite a cake, not quite a bread, but a glorious hybrid that borrows the best from both. Imagine a soft, buttery loaf with a rich ribbon of cinnamon sugar running through its heart, all finished with a crisp, sugary crust that crackles just like a freshly made cinnamon doughnut. Friends always ask me for this recipe after trying it at dinner parties, and it’s become one of my most requested bakes.
What we’re creating here is a beautiful loaf cake that delivers all the nostalgic flavour of a classic doughnut without any of the fuss of deep-frying. The crumb is incredibly tender, thanks to a little soured cream in the batter, which keeps it moist for days. This sweet bread is wonderful for a weekend breakfast treat, an afternoon pick-me-up with a cup of tea, or even a simple dessert. It’s the sort of bake that makes a house feel like a home.
Recipe Overview
This Cinnamon Swirl Donut Bread is essentially a tender, vanilla-scented loaf cake with a buttery, cinnamon-sugar filling swirled through the middle. The final touch is a generous coating of melted butter and more cinnamon sugar, which creates a delightful crunchy exterior. After testing this recipe five times, I finally got the swirl-to-cake ratio and the topping’s crunch just right. It’s a straightforward bake that yields spectacular results.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50-60 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Servings: 8-10 slices
- Difficulty: Easy
Why You’ll Love This Cinnamon Swirl Donut Bread
- Genuine Donut Flavour: The combination of the soft, cakey interior and the crunchy, buttery cinnamon-sugar coating genuinely mimics the experience of biting into a warm cake doughnut.
- Ready in Under 90 Minutes: The batter comes together in about 20 minutes, and the rest of the time is hands-off while it bakes, filling your home with the most incredible aroma.
- Flexible Recipe: You can easily add 100g of chopped pecans or walnuts to the swirl for extra texture, or a pinch of nutmeg for even more warmth.
- Great for Sharing: This dessert bread works beautifully for a brunch with friends, a family gathering, or as a thoughtful homemade gift for a neighbour.
- Family Tested: My kids can smell this from upstairs the moment it comes out of the oven. It’s one of those bakes that always gets compliments and disappears almost immediately.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For this donut bread, we use simple pantry staples. The key to a tender crumb is using room temperature ingredients, especially the butter, eggs, and soured cream. It makes a real difference to the final texture. I always use a good quality vanilla bean paste, like Nielsen-Massey, as it gives the loaf a much deeper flavour than a standard extract.
- For the Bread Batter:
- 250g plain flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 115g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 150g caster sugar
- 50g light brown soft sugar, packed
- 2 large free-range eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
- 180ml soured cream, at room temperature
- For the Cinnamon Swirl:
- 50g light brown soft sugar, packed
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- For the Donut Topping:
- 60g unsalted butter, melted
- 75g granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Marcus’s Tip: Make sure your soured cream is at room temperature. Cold soured cream can cause the butter in the batter to seize up, resulting in a dense, lumpy texture. Taking it out of the fridge 30-45 minutes before you start is all it needs.
How to Make Cinnamon Swirl Donut Bread
The process involves making a simple cake batter and layering it with a cinnamon-sugar mixture. The final flourish of a buttery, sugary topping is what transforms this from a simple loaf cake into a spectacular donut bread.
- Prepare the Tin and Oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C Fan). Grease and line a 900g (2lb) loaf tin with parchment paper, leaving some overhang to help you lift the loaf out later.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the plain flour, baking powder, and salt. Set it aside for later.
- Make the Cinnamon Swirl: In a separate small bowl, combine the 50g of light brown soft sugar and 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon for the filling. Mix well and set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl using a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer, beat the softened 115g of unsalted butter with the caster sugar and 50g of light brown sugar. Beat on medium-high speed for about 3-4 minutes until the mixture is light, pale, and fluffy. This step, known as the creaming method, incorporates air for a lighter cake.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix in the vanilla bean paste.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the soured cream in two additions. Begin and end with the flour mixture (Flour -> Soured Cream -> Flour -> Soured Cream -> Flour). Mix only until just combined – a few small streaks of flour are fine. Over-mixing will make the bread tough.
- Layer and Swirl: Spoon half of the batter into your prepared loaf tin and spread it out evenly. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar swirl mixture evenly over the top. Add the remaining batter on top and smooth it out. To create the swirl, I find that inserting a butter knife and making a gentle “S” shape or figure-of-eight motion just twice through the batter works best. Don’t overdo it, or you’ll lose the distinct ribbon.
- Bake the Loaf: Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. If the top starts to brown too quickly, you can loosely cover it with foil for the last 10-15 minutes.
- Cool and Top: Let the loaf cool in the tin for 15 minutes before using the parchment paper overhang to lift it onto a wire rack to cool completely. While it’s still slightly warm, prepare the topping. Mix the granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon in a shallow dish. Brush the top and sides of the loaf with the 60g of melted butter, then generously sprinkle the cinnamon sugar all over, pressing gently to help it adhere. For a treat that leans more towards breakfast, you might also like these Maple Pecan Sticky Buns.
Tips From My Kitchen
- Temperature Control: I can’t stress this enough: room temperature ingredients are key. They emulsify better, creating a smoother batter and a more uniform, tender crumb in your finished sweet bread.
- The Secret Step: I learned that the final “donut” effect relies heavily on the topping application. Apply it while the loaf is still a little warm. The residual heat helps the sugar stick to the melted butter, creating that unmistakable crust.
- Make-Ahead: You can bake the loaf a day ahead. Store it, un-topped, in an airtight container at room temperature. Just before serving, gently warm it in the oven, then apply the melted butter and cinnamon-sugar topping for the freshest taste and texture.
- Storage: Once topped, this donut bread is best enjoyed within 3 days. Store it in an airtight container at room temperature. I don’t recommend refrigerating it, as it can dry out the crumb.
Equipment You’ll Need
- Stand mixer or an electric hand mixer
- 900g (2lb) loaf tin
- Parchment paper
- Wire cooling rack
- Mixing bowls and a whisk
- Pastry brush
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Over-mixing the Batter: After adding the flour, mix only until it’s just incorporated. Over-mixing develops gluten, which will turn your tender loaf cake into a tough, chewy bread.
- A Muddy Swirl: It’s tempting to swirl enthusiastically, but less is more. One or two gentle passes with a knife is all you need to create a beautiful ribbon. Too much mixing will just blend the cinnamon sugar into the batter.
- Underbaking the Centre: Loaf cakes are dense and can look done on the outside before the middle is fully cooked. Always use the skewer test – if it comes out with wet batter, give it another 5-10 minutes. A sunken middle is often the result of an underbaked loaf.
Delicious Variations to Try
While this recipe is wonderful as it is, it’s also a great base for a few creative twists. For other fun dessert ideas, these Lemon Crumb Bars offer a lovely zesty alternative.
- Nutty Crunch Version: Add 100g of toasted, chopped pecans or walnuts to the cinnamon-sugar filling layer for a lovely textural contrast.
- Autumnal Apple Twist: Fold one finely diced apple (a Braeburn or Granny Smith works well) into the batter before layering. The combination of apple and cinnamon is a timeless classic.
- Vanilla Glaze Finish: If you prefer a sweeter, softer topping, skip the cinnamon-sugar crust. Instead, let the loaf cool completely and drizzle it with a simple glaze made from 150g of icing sugar, 2-3 tablespoons of milk, and ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract.
What to Serve With Cinnamon Swirl Donut Bread
This dessert bread is a star all on its own, but here are a few ways we enjoy it in my house.
- A La Mode: A slightly warm slice with a scoop of quality vanilla bean ice cream turns this into a truly decadent dessert. The contrast between warm, spicy cake and cold, creamy ice cream is divine.
- With a Dollop of Cream: For a more traditional British approach, serve it with a spoonful of clotted cream or a dollop of freshly whipped double cream.
- Drink Pairing: It goes beautifully with a strong cup of coffee, like a flat white, or a pot of English Breakfast tea. For children (and adults!), a cold glass of milk is perfect.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cinnamon Swirl Donut Bread
Ingredients
Method
- Prepare the Tin and Oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C Fan). Grease and line a 900g (2lb) loaf tin with parchment paper, leaving some overhang to help you lift the loaf out later.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the plain flour, baking powder, and salt. Set it aside for later.
- Make the Cinnamon Swirl: In a separate small bowl, combine the 50g of light brown soft sugar and 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon for the filling. Mix well and set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl using a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer, beat the softened 115g of unsalted butter with the caster sugar and 50g of light brown sugar. Beat on medium-high speed for about 3-4 minutes until the mixture is light, pale, and fluffy. This step, known as the creaming method, incorporates air for a lighter cake.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix in the vanilla bean paste.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the soured cream in two additions. Begin and end with the flour mixture (Flour -> Soured Cream -> Flour -> Soured Cream -> Flour). Mix only until just combined – a few small streaks of flour are fine. Over-mixing will make the bread tough.
- Layer and Swirl: Spoon half of the batter into your prepared loaf tin and spread it out evenly. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar swirl mixture evenly over the top. Add the remaining batter on top and smooth it out. To create the swirl, I find that inserting a butter knife and making a gentle "S" shape or figure-of-eight motion just twice through the batter works best. Don't overdo it, or you'll lose the distinct ribbon.
- Bake the Loaf: Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. If the top starts to brown too quickly, you can loosely cover it with foil for the last 10-15 minutes.
- Cool and Top: Let the loaf cool in the tin for 15 minutes before using the parchment paper overhang to lift it onto a wire rack to cool completely. While it's still slightly warm, prepare the topping. Mix the granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon in a shallow dish. Brush the top and sides of the loaf with the 60g of melted butter, then generously sprinkle the cinnamon sugar all over, pressing gently to help it adhere. For a treat that leans more towards breakfast, you might also like these Maple Pecan Sticky Buns.
Notes
I really hope you give this Cinnamon Swirl Donut Bread a try. It’s one of those reliable, comforting bakes that brings a little bit of joy to any day. The process is relaxing, and the reward is a slice of pure, cinnamon-spiced happiness. If you make it, please do leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out for you. Happy baking! – Marcus
