Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread is a delicious twist on traditional banana bread. Buttermilk, ripe bananas, ground cinnamon, brown sugar, and a sweet vanilla glaze make this banana bread recipe incredible!
This banana bread recipe is so quick and easy to make. Banana bread recipes are always a hit with family and friends because they’re simple, versatile, and incredibly delicious. Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread is one of the yummiest ways to eat ripe bananas. You’ve got to try this cafe-style banana bread that’s perfectly textured and full of flavor.
CINNAMON SWIRL BANANA BREAD
This decadent banana bread is made with ripe bananas, buttermilk, cinnamon, and brown sugar. After baking, drizzle a simple vanilla glaze on top before serving. This delicious quick bread recipe is so indulgent, you can serve it as dessert! But…there are bananas in it, and it is called bread, so it is perfectly acceptable as breakfast too!
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST QUICK BREAD
There are a couple of tips that will help you to get the perfect banana bread every time!
- Make sure to use the right bread pans! The recipe for this quick bread is written for one 9″X5″ pan.
- If you use non-stick pans, you won’t want to use any cooking spray, but if you are not using non-stick pans, make sure to use a baking spray like this one or line the pans with parchment paper so your bread doesn’t get stuck to the pan! There is nothing worse than making a beautiful loaf of bread and having the whole thing fall apart when you try to get it neatly out of the pan!
- Make sure to test the middle of the bread at the end of the cooking time – I like to use one of these for that! If your bread is still gooey in the middle, bake for a few more minutes. If the edges and the top are starting to look too brown and the middle isn’t done yet, go ahead and put some foil over the bread for the last few minutes of baking until the bread is done in the center. This will prevent the outside from burning, but still allow the middle to cook all the way through.
- Also, make sure that you don’t overmix the batter. You can blend the wet ingredients well and the dry ingredients as much as you want when they are separate, but once you put them together, you want to mix just enough to combine them.
Ingredients in Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread
BANANA BREAD BATTER:
Flour – All-purpose flour works best in quick breads, but you can swap out a gluten-free substitute if needed.
Brown sugar – For best results, make sure the brown sugar is soft and fresh.
Baking powder – This is the leavening agent in the banana bread. For best results, make sure that your baking powder isn’t old or expired.
Cinnamon – Yes, you need some cinnamon in the batter in addition to the cinnamon swirl in the middle of the bread.
Salt – Just a little bit of salt will help to intensify all of the other flavors in the bread.
Bananas – You can’t make banana bread without bananas! For this recipe, you will need 2 large overripe bananas. Mash them up with a fork before adding to the other ingredients.
Buttermilk – Buttermilk is preferred, but you can swap this out with regular milk if needed. A dairy-free substitute would work as well.
Oil – Vegetable or canola oil both work great, but you can use coconut oil if you prefer. If you do use coconut oil, make sure to melt it first.
Eggs – Two large eggs will help to bind all of the other ingredients together.
Vanilla extract – The higher the quality of the vanilla, the better.
CINNAMON SWIRL:
Brown sugar – The fresher, the better! Adding brown sugar to the cinnamon makes it perfectly sweet for the filling.
Ground cinnamon – Yes, more ground cinnamon is needed to make this bread amazing!
VANILLA GLAZE:
Powdered Sugar – The powdered sugar makes the glaze smooth and sweet!
Vanilla extract – A little bit of vanilla adds just the right amount of flavor to the glaze.
Water – Use just enough water to get the glaze to the right consistency for drizzling.
How to make Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread
Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a 9″x5″ bread pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
MAKE THE BANANA BREAD BATTER
Add the all-purpose flour, brown sugar, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Whisk until well combined. Set aside.
Add the mashed bananas, buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract to another large mixing bowl. Whisk until well combined.
Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix with a silicone spatula until just combined. Set aside.
ADD THE CINNAMON SWIRL
To make the cinnamon swirl mixture, add the brown sugar and ground cinnamon to a small mixing bowl. Whisk until well combined. Set aside.
Pour half of the banana bread batter into the prepared baking tin. Sprinkle over the cinnamon swirl mixture, and gently swirl through the batter. Top with the remaining banana bread batter.
BAKE THE BREAD
Bake the banana bread for 45 minutes, or until cooked through. The banana bread is cooked through if it bounces back when lightly touched in the center. If the top of the bread is browning too quickly before the center is done, loosely place foil over the top of the bread until it is done baking. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
ADD THE GLAZE
To make the vanilla glaze, add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon of boiling water to a small mixing bowl. Whisk until well combined.
Drizzle over the cooled banana bread.
Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread
Ingredients
Banana Bread Batter:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large bananas mashed
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ cup oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cinnamon Swirl:
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Vanilla glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoons boiling water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a 9″x5″ bread pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- MAKE THE BANANA BREAD BATTER: Add the all-purpose flour, brown sugar, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Whisk until well combined. Set aside.
- Add the mashed bananas, buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract to another large mixing bowl. Whisk until well combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix with a silicone spatula until just combined. Set aside.
- ADD THE CINNAMON SWIRL: To make the cinnamon swirl mixture, add the brown sugar and ground cinnamon to a small mixing bowl. Whisk until well combined. Set aside.
- Pour half of the banana bread batter into the prepared baking tin. Sprinkle over the cinnamon swirl mixture, and gently swirl through the batter. Top with the remaining banana bread batter.
- BAKE THE BREAD: Bake the banana bread for 45 minutes, or until cooked through. The banana bread is cooked through if it bounces back when lightly touched in the center. If the top of the bread is browning too quickly before the center is done, loosely place foil over the top of the bread until it is done baking. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- ADD THE GLAZE: To make the vanilla glaze, add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon of boiling water to a small mixing bowl. Whisk until well combined. Drizzle over the cooled banana bread.
Nutrition
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HOW TO KNOW IF THE BREAD IS DONE
Your bread should register about 200° F on an instant-read thermometer to ensure that it has been cooked fully. Not only that but the top should appear to be a nice golden brown color and as the bread cools, it shouldn’t sink, but should instead remain well-shaped with a rounded top.
DID YOUR QUICK BREAD SINK IN THE MIDDLE?
Here’s how to help your quick bread not sink in the middle after it’s baked. This happens to me occasionally too! Often it’s because I’ve over-mixed the batter. Quick bread (referring to a bread recipe that doesn’t use yeast) does not like to be stirred too much, so try to just barely mix all the ingredients together. Another culprit could be overfilling the pan. The bread pan should be only half full each time. As always, make sure your baking soda isn’t too old- it should only be on your shelf for 6-9 months before purchasing new.
AVOID SUNKEN BREAD
The easiest and best way to avoid sunken bread is to use a cooking thermometer to check the inside of the loaf. Fully cooked bread will register 200°F on a thermometer. My all-time favorite thermometer is the Thermapen. It’s super fast and incredibly durable. Another great cooking thermometer is the ThermoPop which is a more basic version that works just as well!
CAN QUICK BREAD BE MADE INTO MUFFINS?
Any quick bread recipe can easily be converted into a muffin recipe! Make the batter as indicated and then pour it into a greased muffin pan. This banana bread recipe will yield 12 regular-sized muffins or 24 mini muffins. Bake at 375°. You will need to bake the large muffins for about 25-30 minutes and about 18-20 minutes for the small ones.
The easiest way to make muffins is using a cookie scoop. A large scoop works perfectly for large muffins and a smaller cookie scoop works great for mini muffins – no more messy pouring or trying to get the exact same amount in each well of the muffin tin!
CAN YOU FREEZE QUICK BREAD?
Quick bread can be frozen for up to 3 months. Make sure the bread is completely cooled before wrapping the entire loaf in plastic wrap and then place the wrapped bread in aluminum foil or a freezer bag. To thaw, leave in plastic and set at room temperature until completely thawed through. Add the glaze after thawing the bread.
LOOKING FOR MORE BANANA BREAD RECIPES? CHECK OUT THESE SUGGESTIONS!
- Gingersnap Banana Bread
- Vanilla Pudding Banana Bread
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- Sour Cream Banana Bread
- Apple Banana Bread
- Strawberry Banana Bread
- Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
- Zucchini Banana Bread
- White Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
- Double Chocolate Banana Bread
- Easy Banana Bread
- Yogurt Banana Bread
- Cranberry Banana Bread
- Raspberry Banana Bread
- Caramel Banana Nut Bread
- Pineapple Banana Bread
Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread is a delicious twist on traditional banana bread. Buttermilk, ripe bananas, ground cinnamon, brown sugar, and a sweet vanilla glaze make this banana bread recipe incredible!
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