Description
This Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread features a moist banana-flavored batter with a delicious cinnamon sugar swirl baked inside and topped with a vanilla glaze. Perfectly tender with a golden crust, it’s an indulgent yet comforting treat great for breakfast or dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Bread Batter
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup (135g) granulated sugar
- 4 Tablespoons (56g) unsalted butter
- 2 large eggs
- 1 and 1/2 cups (345g) mashed bananas
- 1/3 cup (80g) plain Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Cinnamon Swirl
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Vanilla Icing
- 1/2 cup (60g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 Tablespoon (15ml) heavy cream or milk
- 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position and preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Prepare Pan: Thoroughly grease a 9×5-inch metal loaf pan with nonstick spray to ensure easy removal of the bread after baking, then set it aside.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and salt until evenly combined and free of clumps.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the unsalted butter and granulated sugar on high speed for about 2 minutes until the mixture is smooth, creamy, and light in color.
- Add Eggs: With the mixer running on medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition to emulsify and smooth the batter.
- Incorporate Bananas and Yogurt: Beat in the mashed bananas, plain Greek yogurt, and pure vanilla extract just until combined, making sure the bananas are mashed to a soft consistency for even blending.
- Combine Dry and Wet Mixtures: On low speed, gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until no flour pockets remain; the batter should be chunky with banana pieces—do not over-mix.
- Prepare Cinnamon Swirl: In a small separate bowl, mix the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon evenly for the cinnamon swirl layer.
- Layer Batter and Swirl: Spoon half of the banana batter evenly into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over this layer, then carefully pour and spread the remaining batter on top without disturbing the swirl underneath.
- Create Swirl Pattern: Use a knife to gently swirl the batter down the center of the loaf pan, creating visible distinct layers without over-swirling to keep the pattern clear.
- Bake Bread: Place the loaf pan in the preheated oven and bake for 55 to 65 minutes until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Tent with foil after 40 minutes if browning too quickly to prevent burning.
- Cool Bread: Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool in the pan on a wire rack for 1 hour. Run a knife gently around the edges before cooling to facilitate removal without breaking.
- Prepare Icing: While the bread cools, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, heavy cream or milk, and pure vanilla extract until smooth. Adjust consistency by adding 1 teaspoon milk if too thick for drizzling.
- Glaze Bread: Drizzle the vanilla icing evenly over the cooled bread and allow the glaze to set slightly before slicing to achieve clean, neat slices and an attractive finish.
Notes
- Use very ripe bananas for maximum sweetness and moisture in the bread.
- Do not overmix the batter when combining dry and wet ingredients to keep the bread tender and moist.
- Swirling the cinnamon sugar lightly creates beautiful marble patterns without blending the layers.
- Cover the bread with foil if it starts to brown too fast during baking to avoid a burnt crust.
- Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing to prevent it from crumbling.
- The icing can be adjusted in thickness with extra milk to achieve the desired drizzle texture.
