Cinnamon Streusel Bread

Leave a Comment / Bread, Breakfast, Cakes

With St. Patrick’s Day coming up tomorrow, I have been thinking about all the things we chalk up to luck: things like the weather, a catch made by our favorite team, or even a good hair day. Over the years, I’ve given luck a whole bunch of credit to luck without really considering if there was more at play. Is the goodness in my life really just an accident, something that happened by chance? Or is it possible that all of the “luck” in my life is actually a gift offered intentionally for me at the very moment I need it? Before we dive into this cinnamon streusel bread, let’s talk about favor.

Favor

A friend of mine from church introduced the concept of favor to me a few years ago. She didn’t throw it on me or force me to accept her version of things as truth; instead she offered up her perspective for my consideration. The idea, basically, is this: God loves us. He wants good things for us. And He’s always at work on our behalf. Could it be possible that every good thing in our life is not just luck or a result of our own actions but, instead, a little sign of love from God? What if that open parking space, the dollar bill in the back of old jeans, or various other happy coincidences are really just nuggets of favor lavished on you by a loving Father? My mind was blown.

The following week, I saw evidence of it all around me. It seemed that the more I looked out for the good things in my life, the more I found them. Perfect weather at a picnic I planned for friends? A last-minute opening at a restaurant I’ve been dying to go to? Even a single afternoon in my home where everyone is content and joyful and kind to one another. I began to look at each one of those things as a gift and the end result was a whole lot of love and gratitude.

Now, I’m all in. At times, I forget to look for signs of grace and love at work in my life, but the second I open my eyes again, it’s all around me. My kids, new opportunities, the magnolia tree blooming outside of my room, or even just a wildly pink streak of clouds in a dusky sunset- it’s all favor, all love. Anyways.. just for for thought. 🙂

Cinnamon Streusel Bread

Now, onto the main event: cinnamon streusel brad. I’ve continued my venture to bake more breakfast items, and this cinnamon streusel bread is serious. Honestly guys, I love it so much. Soft cakey insides, a swirl of brown sugar and cinnamon throughout, and a crumbly topping. It’s truly so delicious and the perfect thing to enjoy for breakfast (or dessert??) this weekend. Let me tell you how to make it.

First we start with the batter. Butter, oil, and two kinds of sugar come together with eggs and vanilla. Flour and leavening come next with a splash of buttermilk. Next comes the topping. Flour, brown sugar, salt, and melted butter stir together until dry clumps form. We layer the batter in a prepared pan and swirl in the cinnamon sugar filling. Finish it off with the crumble and bake for an hour or until a clean toothpick comes out. Voila!

Give this cinnamon streusel bread a try and lmk what you think! Happy Thursday, Happy St. Patty’s and Happy Baking!

If you like this cinnamon streusel bread you should try:

Coffee Cake Muffins
Banana Bread Cake
Banana Zucchini Bread
Mom’s Homemade Bread
Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Muffins

Cinnamon Streusel Bread

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This cinnamon streusel bread is a fluffy coffee cake swirled with a cinnamon sugar filling and topped with brown sugar crumble!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 60
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 1 Loaf
Category: Breakfast Bread

Ingredients

For the batter:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups cups all-purpose flour
1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2/3 cup full-fat buttermilk

For the filling:

½ cup brown sugar, packed
1–1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

For the streusel:

½ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup light brown sugar packed
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9×5” loaf pan and set aside.
In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, oil, sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed until smooth, about one minute. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat to combine. Add 1 cup of the flour, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt and beat on low just until almost combined. Add the buttermilk, stir, and then mix in the remaining flour. Beat on low until the batter is smooth and uniform, but do not over-mix. Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon for the filling in a small bowl. Spoon half of the batter into the prepared pan and smooth. Top with the streusel. Add the remaining batter and smooth. Finally, prepare the streusel. Combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl. Stir in the melted butter, just until clumps form. Sprinkle on top. Bake in the pre-heated oven about 50-60 minutes or until the top is domed and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Funfetti Loaf

Making Funfetti Loaf

To make this funfetti loaf, we start with fats and sugar. Butter, oil, sugar, and brown sugar come together in a bowl. The oil adds moisture while the butter adds flavor. Next comes three eggs and a splash of clear vanilla extract. Clear vanilla offers that box mix flavor we all know and love. After combining, we toss in the dry ingredients, a little buttermilk, and sprinkles. I typically buy the grocery store rainbow sprinkles, but you can opt for another variety if you’d like. The batter spoons into a prepared loaf pan before baking just shy of an hour.

Funfetti Loaf by Wood and Spoon blog. This is a simple sprinkle quick bread made with butter and rainbow sprinkles. The batter comes together quickly to make a baked good that is great as dessert or breakfast. Learn how to make it on thewoodandspoon.com.

The end result is a sweet, fluffy, and seriously moist loaf of bread. It keeps well for a couple of days and is crazy simple to make. If you’ve been wondering how to up the ante on your weekend baking, this funfetti loaf is definitely an easy way to jump in. Give it a try and let me know what you think! Happy Saturday and Happy Baking!

If you like this recipe you should try:

Funfetti Biscuits
Funfetti Mini Cakes
Overnight Biscuits
Funfetti Scones
Funfetti Rolls

Funfetti Loaf

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This funfetti loaf is a fluffy and colorful quick bread that makes a great breakfast or snack!

Author: Kate wood
Prep Time: 5
Cook Time: 60
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Yield: 1 Loaf
Category: Breakfast

Ingredients

½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk at room temperature
½ cup sprinkles

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 9×5” loaf pan with baking spray. Set aside.
In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, oil, sugar, and brown sugar until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Add the clear vanilla and stir to combine. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl; stir together. Add half of the dry ingredients to the butter bowl. Stir on low until almost combined. Add the milk and stir. Scrape the sides of the bowl and stir in the remaining dry ingredients on low. Fold in the sprinkles and spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake* in the oven for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. *Note: If using a dark nonstick pan, immediately lower the oven temp down to 325 upon putting the loaf in the oven. Bake until the top has domed slightly and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Easy Banana Zucchini Bread with Cream Cheese Butter

Easy Banana Zucchini Bread

The idea for this banana zucchini bread came from a recent trip to Atlanta. My mom, nana, sister, and I traveled east to do some antique shopping. Thankfully, our hotel had a delightful breakfast spot that served delicious breakfast breads. My favorite was their zucchini bread that came with a whipped cream cheese spread. I immediately knew this was a recipe to recreate at home.

My version of the quick bread is slightly different due to the addition of banana. We have an endless supply of bananas in our house, and they’re rarely yellow and prime for eating. Instead, the green bananas collect dust and the brown ones get even more brown. So I decided to create an outlet for all the dying fruits of the world. Bananas, meet zucchini, your new BFF.

Easy Zucchini Banana Bread by Wood and Spoon blog. My favorite way to use up ripe bananas and summer zucchini is this quick bread! Served with a simple whipped cream cheese butter and loaded with pecans, bananas, cinnamon, and fresh zucchini, this bread is a delicious breakfast or snack treat! find the recipe and how to on thewoodandspoon.com

Making the Bread

Making this banana zucchini bread is pretty simple. In a single bowl, mash together the bananas and oil. Add the sugar, eggs, and extract, stirring all the while. Next comes the dry ingredients which, for this recipe, includes cinnamon; I just love the subtle addition of spice. The shredded zucchini and optional pecans add in last before two loaves bake in the oven.

The cream cheese spread is optional but really yummy. Slightly sugared and more buttercream than buttery, it really take this bread over the top. Make it or don’t, but certainly it’s worth trying once.

I hope you all get to bake this easy banana zucchini bread soon. If you do, let me know what you think! Happy Saturday and happy baking!

If you like this easy banana zucchini bread you should try:

Carrot Pound Cake
Whole Wheat Carrot Muffins
Vanilla Butter Loaf
Banana Bread Cake
Banana Crumb Cake

Easy Banana Zucchini Bread

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This banana zucchini bread is an easy, no-frills recipe that makes for a delicious breakfast or afternoon snack!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 20
Cook Time: 60
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Yield: 2 Loaves
Category: Quick Bread

Ingredients

For the bread:

1 cup mashed ripe banana (from about 3 medium-sized bananas)
1 cup canola oil
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3–1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2–1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1–1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1–1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1–1/2 cups shredded zucchini
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

For the cream cheese butter:

4 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
2 tablespoons salted butter, softened to room temperature
1–1/2 cups powdered sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon, optional

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Instructions

To make the loaves:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray two 8”x4” loaf pans with baking spray. Set aside.
In a large bowl, stir to combine the banana, oil, sugar, eggs, and extract. Add in the flour cinnamon, salt, baking powder, and baking soda and fold to combine. Add in the shredded zucchini and pecans, folding just until combined. Divide the batter between the two prepared pans and bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 1 hour. Allow to cool completely.
In the meantime, prepare the cream cheese butter. In a medium-sized bowl, use a hand mixer to combine the cream cheese and butter, beating until smooth, about 1 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and optional cinnamon, stirring to combine. If you wish to smooth out the mixture a bit, add a tablespoon of water or milk. Otherwise, pop the spread in the fridge until you’re ready to serve it on slices of the zucchini bread.

Pumpkin Swirl Bread

1 Comment / Bread

It’s October, which means I officially don’t feel bad about pushing pumpkin baked goods. I know some of you fall into the uber-cozy category of humans that thinks things like pumpkin spice lattes, fluffy scarves, fleece socks, and jewel tones are appropriate all year long, but I’ve been holding back on this recipe for weeks in an attempt to salvage the sanity of those who can only tolerate fall-ish stuff sometime after Labor Day. Today’s recipe, this pumpkin swirl bread, certainly falls into the cozy category, and it makes for an excellent baking challenge for those of you who might be willing to roll up your sleeves and attempt a slightly more challenging baked treat. Let me tell you how to make it!

Pumpkin Swirl Bread by Wood and Spoon blog. This is a fluffy pumpkin yeast bread swirled with brown sugar and cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. The bread is fragrant and works wonderfully for morning toast. Learn how to make a fall sandwich or yeast bread and how simple it is to add sugar to bread dough on thewoodandspoon.com

This pumpkin swirl bread is a love child of two of my favorite recipes: pumpkin yeast bread and cinnamon swirl bread. For years, cinnamon toast has been a go-to breakfast favorite in my house, and I decided it was high time we had a fall alternative for our mornings. The dough for this tender bread has pumpkin purée, sweet maple syrup, and flavored pumpkin pie spice. The center is a swirl of cinnamon and brown sugar- just enough to add a smidge of flavor and that beautiful inner spiral, but not so much that it becomes overpowering. I like to serve slices warm and toasted with salted butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar.

How to Make Swirl Bread

To make the bread, we start with the dough. Active dry yeast dissolved in lukewarm water before we add in the remaining liquid ingredients: milk, maple syrup, oil, and pumpkin purée. Once combined, we add in the flour, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. The dough is stirred and kneaded in a stand mixer until stretchy and slightly tacky.

After its first rise, we roll out the dough and layer in the filling: first an egg wash, then a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar. The dough is rolled tight into a loaf and allowed to rise a second time in a prepared loaf pan. After baking, the loaves are golden brown and fragrant with yummy autumnal spice!

This pumpkin swirl bread is a great weekend baking challenge. Bonus: it makes two loaves, so you can keep one for yourself and share the second with someone else! A win-win for everyone! Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think. Happy Baking!

If you like this pumpkin swirl bread, you should try:

Pumpkin Yeast Bread
Cinnamon Swirl Bread
Pumpkin Pull-Apart Bread
Raisin Swirl Bread
Pumpkin Pancakes

Pumpkin Swirl Bread

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★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 25
Cook Time: 35
Total Time: 240
Yield: 2 Loaves
Category: Bread

Ingredients

For the bread dough:

½ cup (120 mL) warm (not hot) water
2–1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup (240 mL) milk, room temperature (I use whole)
¼ cup (60 mL) maple syrup
2 tablespoons oil (I use canola)
1 cup (225 gm) pumpkin puree
5 cups (650 gm) all-purpose flour
1–1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

For the filling:

1 large egg
6 tablespoons (75 gm) sugar
2–1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 tablespoon flour

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Instructions

To prepare the dough:

Pour the warm water into the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast over top of it. Allow the yeast to dissolve, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the milk, maple syrup, and oil. Add the pumpkin puree and stir to combine. Add two cups of flour, the salt, and the pumpkin pie spice to the wet ingredients and stir until well integrated. Add an additional 2-1/2 cups of flour and, using the dough hook, knead the bread on medium speed for about 5 minutes or until the bread starts to become stretchy. Add additional flour to the bowl during the kneading process to get the dough the right texture. You are looking for a tacky, stretchy dough.
Grease a large bowl and place the dough in it, covered with a piece of plastic wrap, to rise until doubled in size, about 1-1/2 hours. If the dough seems to have a hard time rising, move the bowl to a slightly warmer area of the kitchen. I like to let mine rise next to a warm oven.

To prepare the filling:

Once risen, remove dough from bowl and separate into two equal pieces. Roll each sheet of dough on a lightly greased work surface into a 6”x20” rectangle. Whisk the egg with 2 teaspoons of water and brush this wash over the surface of each sheet of dough. Reserve the extra wash.
Combine the cinnamon, sugar, and flour in a small bowl and sprinkle the mixture evenly over the surface of each piece of dough.
Starting at one of the narrow ends, roll the dough snug up the length of the long ends of the rectangle until you’re left with a tube-shaped roll of dough. Pinch the ends to seal the dough closed. Place each loaf roll into their own greased loaf pan (8.5″ X 4.5″ X 2.75″). Cover with Saran wrap and allow to rise again for about 1 hour, or until the dough has risen one inch over the top of the pan. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Once risen, brush a thin layer of wash over the tops of each loaf. Put the loaves into the oven and immediately lower the temperature to 375. Bake for about 30-35 minutes, or until loaves have turned golden and sound slightly hollow when tapped on the top.
Allow to cool in pan for ten minutes and then remove to finish cooling on a cooling rack.

Notes

Beware of using a small pan. This recipe requires a large enough pan to accommodate the dough.
If your bread is not rising well, place loaves in a slightly warmer spot in your kitchen. I let my bread rise next to a warm oven.
Allow bread to cool completely prior to slicing.
Bread will keep on the counter for several days but will keep best in the refrigerator for up to 6-7 days. There’s no preservatives in this stuff so it won’t last as long as your supermarket bread- eat fast!
Wrapped securely in aluminum foil, bread will keep in a freezer for up to four months.

Sweet Potato Buns

8 Comments / Breakfast

I know, you guys have gotten used to this being dessert central. Where are the cookies? Who’s bringing the cinnamon rolls? Where’s the frosting and glazes and sprinkle toppings? Well, sometimes we need to offset all that sugar with something savory, and with summer suddenly descending on us in a sweaty mist of grassy smells and Mexican beers, I thought you may enjoy this recipe for sweet potato buns- the vehicle your summer burgers have been waiting for. If you’re up for a yeasty challenge (and I promise that’s not nearly as weird as it sounds), let’s dive in!

I’m going to go out on a limb and claim sweet potatoes as a Southern thing. I know someone is going to come on here and man-splain to me about how sweet potatoes are prevalent here and there, how they actually originated in South America, how people in, I don’t know, Milwaukee really know what they’re doing with everyone’s favorite orange root vegetable. But look- who did it best? Who’s been topping sweet potatoes with pecans and marshmallows and buttery brown sugar since I don’t know when? What about flash frying them or tossing them in skillets with green peppers and bits of crispy bacon? Who’s been making sweet potato cinnamon rolls like… wait, that’s me. The point is, sweet potatoes are a prized part of Southern food, history, and culture, and so I’m claiming them as our own. So there.

These sweet potato buns are everything you’d expect them to be. Mashed boiled or baked potatoes make each roll a super soft doughy roll with loads of heft and flavor. These aren’t buns made primarily of flour and air- these things have FLAVOR. With all the texture of a typical potato roll, these sweet potato buns combine earthy sweetness with soft, toothy bread, and it is wonderful. Let me tell you how to make them.

To make these sweet potato buns, we simply toss all of the ingredients into a bowl, mix them together, and then knead. It’s crazy simple. I used leftover baked sweet potatoes (about one large one) to make the mash mixture for the dough, although you could cube and boil your own if you prefer. For one follow-up batch I used one that had been smoked on the grill, and *WOW*, welcome to Flavortown. Go about this in whatever manner feels right for you, just make sure your potatoes are soft and thoroughly mashed.

One this super wet dough has risen until doubled in size, we have to shape each bun. This is absolutely the trickiest part. Really, I should have taken photos of the rolling process for you (and maybe I’ll do that soon?), but I’ll try to break it down in the instructions as best as I can. There are also some great tips on forming buns on Youtube. The shaping ensures that each roll winds up being round in shape and fluffy in height, but don’t stress too much about it. The rolls will taste good even if they are oblong or a little flatter.

Making yeast breads is always an adventure, and these sweet potato buns are a super fun project to take on in the coming months. Give the recipe a try and let me know what you think! I’d LOVE someone to attempt these as a hotdog roll, so if you get super ambitious let me know! Have a terrific week, happy baking, and see you next week!

If you like these sweet potato buns you should check out:

Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls
Pumpkin Yeast Bread
Sweet Potato Meringue Pie
Pumpkin Pull-Apart Bread
Cheesy Dinner Rolls

Sweet Potato Buns

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★★★★★

4.3 from 3 reviews

These sweet potato buns are soft and chewy and barely sweet from the sweet potatoes!

Author: Kate Wood adapted from King Arthur Flour
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 25
Total Time: 240
Yield: 12
Category: Bread

Ingredients

¾ cup (180 gm) lukewarm water
6 tablespoons (85 gm) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
3 large eggs, divided
1 cup (250 gm) mashed sweet potato, cooled (no added ingredients!)
2 cups (275 gm) bread flour
2–1/2 cups (340 gm) all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2–1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
3 tablespoons sesame seeds, optional

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Instructions

Combine the water, butter, TWO eggs, the sweet potato, bread, flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer. Mix to combine the ingredients. Switch to a dough hook and knead on medium speed for 4 minutes, adding a tablespoon or two of flour as needed (you can also knead by hand). This is a really soft and sticky dough, but it shouldn’t be so thin that you’re able to pour it. Once kneaded, put the dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel, and allow to rise in a warm spot of the kitchen for about an hour and 45 minutes, or until doubled in size.
Once doubled, dump the dough onto a generously floured surface and portion into 12 equal-sized rounds.To form the rolls, see the video link in the text of the above post. Smooth the sides of each rolls, making the tops of each bun tight and smooth. Spread out on a lightly greased cookie sheet and cover again with plastic wrap or tea towel. Allow to rise and puff, about 45 minutes, while you preheat the oven to 350.
Once risen, lightly beat the remaining egg and combine it with a teaspoon of water. Use a basting brush to lightly brush each top with the egg wash and sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Bake in the preheated oven about 23-25 minutes or until the tops are golden and the internal temp registers at 180. Allow to cool and enjoy!

Banana Bread Cake

6 Comments / Uncategorized

My favorite things about quarantining? Pajamas all day. Naked babies in the backyard. Cocktails at 4, coffee at noon, and drawn-out breakfasts that turn into lunch and dinner. I’ve loved the limited options, an excuse to stay in, and those few weeks where my husband was home to play with the kids more; we’ve had extra time for snuggling, playing, reading, and doing absolutely nothing. We’ve baked cookies and sandwich loaves and batches of banana bread cake for absolutely no reason at all. I know I’ve complained some about the isolated minutes of these days, but don’t let me fool you- sometimes I kinda like it.

One thing that has absolutely tickled me is the number of you who have taken up baking during this time. It is AWESOME. Being able to navigate the kitchen, to serve people we love yummy things we’ve made with our own two hands, is such a huge and wonderful thing. It’s not silly or a waste of time or limited to just a few crafty homemaker types- everyone has a place in the kitchen, and it makes me happy to no end to see so many of you find your space. For that reason, I’ve found myself making simple homemade treats and special twists on familiar classics to share on this site, because I know that’s better for everyone right now. Case in point: this banana bread cake.

Banana Bread Cake

Banana bread has got to be one of the most basic baked goods ever. Combine that with the fact that I almost always have 2 or 3 bananas dying on my counter, and you have yourself a winning combination for a shoo-on recipe. This banana bread cake is just that, a cakey bread, and it’s topped with a peanut butter whipped cream that is, and I kid you not, to DIE FOR. So good. Why have we not been doing this all along?

To make it, we need a single bowl, some grungy bananas, and a few other staple ingredients: flour, sugar, eggs, and so on. They all get mixed together and poured into a round cake pan. I used a 9″ springform pan, but you could opt for an 8″ round pan, a square pan, or even a big loaf pan! I’ve baked this in several different pieces of bakeware. Keep in mind that your bake time will differ depending on your pan size, so just bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. The top will have risen a bit and will no longer look wet.

Once the banana bread cake has cooled, we top it with the peanut butter whip! If you’re not planning to eat this cake all at once, I highly recommend just serving individual slices with the cream as you go. It’s best to keep the whipped cream stored covered in the fridge as opposed to on top of the cake. If you’re hoping to serve this as a dessert instead of a breakfast or brunch option, I’d recommend also throwing in a drizzle of salted caramel, some candied peanuts, or maybe even some caramelized bananas- something to up the sweet a bit and elevate this from a breakfast food to a dessert.

Keep baking, y’all! You’re doing awesome, and I love following along. Maybe consider making this banana bread cake? Give it a try and let me know what you think! Happy baking, friends!

If you like this banana bread cake you should try:

Caramelized Banana Pudding
Banana Crumb Cake
Bananas Foster Cinnamon Rolls
Banana Cream Pie Cake
Banana Coconut Chocolate Cream Pie

Banana Bread Cake

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★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

This banana bread cake is served with a fluffy peanut butter whipped cream and can be made for dessert or breakfast!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 60
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 10 Servings
Category: Cake

Ingredients

For the cake:

¾ cup mashed ripe bananas (from about 2 large bananas)
2 tablespoons white vinegar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1–1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1–1/2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup whole milk

For the whipped cream:

1 cup heavy whipping cream
¼ cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter (see notes)

For garnish:

Crumbled peanut butter cookies (like Nutter Butters), peanut granola, or chopped honey roasted peanuts

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Instructions

To prepare the cake:

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Lightly grease a 9” springform pan and line the bottom of it with a sheet of parchment paper.
In a small bowl, combine the mashed bananas and vinegar. In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until pale, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and extract and beat on low just to combine. Add in half of the flour as well as the baking soda and salt and stir on low until almost combined. Add half of the milk and stir to combine. Repeat this process to incorporate the remaining flour and milk. Do not overmix. Fold in the banana mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 1 hour. Allow to cool completely prior to topping with whipped cream.

To prepare the whipped cream:

Come all of the ingredients in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and whip on medium speed until fluffy, medium peaks form in the bowl. If you plan to serve and eat all of the cake at once, go ahead and top the cake with the whipped cream and garnish as desired, otherwise, I recommend just cutting slices and serving with whipped cream as you eat it. Cake is best eaten within 2 days.

Notes

You can add extra peanut butter for a more intense flavor- this is totally optional!
See text in blog post for pan options!

Vanilla Butter Loaf

10 Comments / Breakfast, Cakes

You gotta have those back pocket recipes- the ones that come together easily, can find a home throughout every season, and never disappoint. This vanilla butter loaf is an easy peasy cake that can serve as a nest for all of your favorite seasonal fruits and easily doubles as dessert and breakfast. It’s as beautiful as it is delicious, so let me tell you all about it.

Vanilla Butter Loaf

One of my favorite things about this vanilla butter loaf is that it’s pretty much dessert disguised as a breakfast bread. You know those loaf cakes that are served at coffee shops? This is that kind of thing. It has major pound cake vibes, but its loaf shape and the swirl of spice through the center of the cake totally establishes it as a breakfast food, if you ask me. The whole thing is glazed with a simple powdered sugar icing that envelopes the cake in lemon scented sweetness and protects it from drying out.

Another plus of this vanilla butter loaf is that it easily receives whatever fresh fruits you have. Here, I opted for figs and toasted almonds; berries, baked apples or pears, Concord grapes, or stone fruit would taste delicious. Choose whatever is in season and most beautiful for best results or feel free to opt out entirely. The cake is delicious on its own.

Finally, I’m sharing today’s recipe with my friends at Kerrygold. This vanilla butter loaf has a distinct richness and melt-in-your-mouth flavor thanks to the butter. You already know that I count on Kerrygold for all of my most flavorful baked treats; this loaf is no exception. Be sure to choose a butter you trust for this cake and you won’t be disappointed.

I’ll be popping in next week with not one but TWO recipes for you all to nosh on, so stay tuned. You won’t want to miss them. Also, many thanks to Kerrygold for sponsoring this post. I hope you all get to baking this week and enjoy this vanilla butter loaf!

If you like this recipe you should try:

Marble Loaf Pound Cake

Cherry Pound Cake

Banana Crumb Cake

Lemon Pound Cake

Vanilla Butter Loaf

Print Recipe

This vanilla butter loaf is similar to a pound cake and features a vanilla glaze and fresh fruit and nuts on top!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 45
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 1 loaf
Category: Dessert

Ingredients

For the cake:

¾ cup (170gm) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup (200 gm) sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1–1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1–1/2 cups (200 gm) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup (60 gm) buttermilk, at room temperature

For the filling:

¼ cup (50 gm) brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cardamom

For the topping:

1 cup (115 gm) powdered sugar
1–1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1–1/2 cups sliced fruit- I used figs
2 tablespoons sliced almonds

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease and flour an 8”x4” loaf pan. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed until light a fluffy, about two minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, scrape the sides of the bowl and beat on low to combine. Add the extract and zest. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add half of the flour, the baking powder, and the salt. Stir on low until almost combined and then add the buttermilk. Scrape the sides of the bowl and stir the remaining flour in on low speed. To not overmix. Set aside.
In a small bowl, prepare the filling by combining the brown sugar, cinnamon and cardamom. Spread half of the batter into the prepared loaf pan and sprinkle the filling on top. Dollop the remaining batter on top of the brown sugar mixture and smooth the top. Bake in the preheated oven for about 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool.
When cooled, whisk together the topping. Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice and zest until you achieve your desired consistency. Add extra powdered sugar to thicken the glaze and extra lemon juice to thin it out. You can test the consistency on the side of a glass. Pour on top of the cake and garnish with fruit (I prefer figs or strawberries) and almonds. Serve immediately.

English Muffin Bread and Homemade Apple Butter

16 Comments / Breakfast, Uncategorized

English Muffin Bread and Apple Butter this simple no knead one bowl quick rise yeast bread is a loaf form of the classic breakfast dish. Serve it with homemade maple apple butter made in a slow cooker/ crock pot. This is a simple make ahead baked good perfect for the fall. Read more at thewoodandspoon.com

Do you ever have those days that seem to glue themselves to your brain? A set of moments that hang out in your memories like they’ve lived there forever? Earlier this week, the kids convinced me to relinquish my indoor post at the nursing chair to come play outside. Surprised by the unseasonably cool weather, I sat in the grass with Charlie laid back on my lap. He kicked his little feet and looked upward with wide eyes that I could tell were taking in the noises and sights before him. Birds chirping. The wind in the trees. A lone cricket singing somewhere far off. We’d kept inside for most of the summer, so the outdoor elements were new to him. I followed his cue and tried to take it all in too.

A few yards away, Aimee and George were playing games in the yard. They’d disappear into the garage and return with various balls and rocks they found along the way. When they tired of the toys, they raced around the yard chasing each other’s shadows until they ran out of grass. “Mama, look at us! Look how fast we are!” The sight of them running toward me, legs flailing and heads tossed back in laughter, was akin to something you’d see in the movies.

“Play is the work of the child.” – Maria Montessori

I started to get my phone to take pictures but hesitated for fear that I’d disrupt the beauty that was unfolding. It was the single most peaceful and pure moment we had experienced all summer. I knew it was something special and immediately tried to lock it all into my brain: Aimee’s eyes glittering in the glare of the sun; the way Charlie smacked his lips when his searching eyes caught mine; the hair at the crown of George’s head that flopped up and down as he ambled about the yard. This was my entire world making magic in our backyard, and I took in the details of the scene with wonder that I got to be apart of it all.

To be fair, someone was crying within minutes. We eventually went back inside, ate supper, and resumed the bedtime circus, but for just a second, the near-fall air and a patch of grass afforded me a memory I plan to hold onto for a while. This past summer gave us a lot, but I’m still longing for the change of pace that fall will bring. So maybe that’s why you’re getting English muffin bread and homemade apple butter today. Yes, there’s still room for summer berries and ice cream cones, but I’m hoping this small peek into autumn recipes will spur on the shift I’m longing for. So let’s talk about the recipe.

English Muffin Bread

Do you love English muffins? Apple butter? I can remember disapproving of both as a child. The dry texture of the muffins seemed far less acceptable that a toasted slice of white bread, and apple butter came in second to the option of store-bought jelly. Now, as an adult, I adore the way an English muffins’ deep nooks serve as a pool for whatever topping you’ve slathered on and I appreciate the rich apple and cinnamon flavor in the apple butter. Both elements are cozy and seem appropriate for fall.

English muffin bread is surprisingly simple to make. It’s a no-knead recipe that is stirred together in a bowl and dumped in loaf pans for a short rise. The whole process takes less than an hour, so you can have fresh crannied bread within the length of a lazy Saturday morning. The apple butter is similarly simple although it does take a bit longer to prepare. Apples, maple syrup, and a generous amount of spice are cooked low and slow in a crock pot until the mixture is soft enough to puree. After a quick whiz in a blender or food processor, I like to cook it down even more to thicken the mixture. The blend keeps well in the refrigerator and serves as a great alternative to your morning peanut butter or jelly toast.

I’m sharing today’s recipe with my friends at Stemilt. Stemilt is is a leading Washington state grower, packer, and shipper of fruit including apples, pears, cherries, and more. Each quarter, I’ve been developing recipes for their blog using their best in-season fruits. This month, I got my hands on their fuji apples, and thought a sweet and simple apple butter would make for a delicious treat to spread all season long. Head to their site at the link below to read all about it and give the recipe a try! I can’t wait to hear what you think. Enjoy this change of season and happy baking!

CLICK HERE FOR THE RECIPE FOR THIS ENGLISH MUFFIN BREAD AND APPLE BUTTER

If you like this english muffin bread you should check out:

English Muffin Bread

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Just like the original English muffins, but in loaf form!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 5
Cook Time: 20
Total Time: 60
Yield: 2 loaves
Category: Bread

Ingredients

¼ cup (60 gm) lukewarm water
1 tablespoon honey
4 teaspoons active dry yeast
5 cups all-purpose flour
2–1/4 cups milk, lukewarm
2 teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
Cornmeal

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Instructions

Combine the water, honey, and yeast in a large bowl of a stand mixer. Allow the yeast to dissolve. Add in one cup of flour and the milk, stirring to combine. Add in the remaining flour, the salt, and the baking soda, and beat on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.
Lightly grease two 8”x4” loaf pans and dust them with cornmeal. Dump half of the thin dough into each prepared pan. Cover with a tea towel and allow to rise in a warm spot in the kitchen until the loaves dome an inch outside of the pan.
In the meantime, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Once the loaves have risen, bake in the preheated oven about 20-22 minutes or until the tops are golden and sound hollow when tapped. Remove from oven and cool about 15 minutes in the pan. Remove from the pan and cool completely. Serve bread toasted and sliced.

Apple Butter

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This apple butter is made in a slow cooker and sweetened with maple syrup!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 5
Cook Time: 240
Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes
Yield: 2 cups
Category: Condiment

Ingredients

2 pounds of apples (I used fuji), peeled, cored and roughly sliced
¼ cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of cloves
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

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Instructions

Combine the apples, maple syrup, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in a slow cooker and set to high for 4-5 hours, stirring hourly until the apples are soft and juices are starting to get sticky around the edges of the pot. Carefully remove the mixture from the slow cooker and puree in a blender or food processor until smooth. Return the apple mixture back to the slow cooker and cook for an additional 1-2 hours or until desired consistency is reached. Add the vanilla extract and taste for sweetness. Add an additional tablespoon of maple syrup if desired. Allow to cool prior to use.

Blueberry Babka

19 Comments / Breakfast

Happy Monday from our sleepy, milky corner of Alabama. I promise I am planning on giving the real-deal scoop on our new little Charlie guy ASAP, but because I’m not sure if anything I’m typing is even coherent (Is it? Am I still sane? Do you guys still love me?), I’ll skip the mumbo jumbo and go head-first into today’s baked good of choice: blueberry babka.

Blueberry Babka

There’s a number of reasons I love this blueberry babka. First, have you ever made bread? Like, a real yeast-risen bread loaded with butter and swirled with fruit filling? It’s a good choice. This blueberry babka is tender, mildly flavored, and makes some of the best dang buttered toasts your breakfasts will have ever experienced. My kids are huge on the toast bandwagon these days and I love being able to offer something new and homemade that feels special. This blueberry babka is just the ticket.

Making the Babka

No lie, making a homemade babka can be super intimidating. I get a little nervy about it every time I saddle up to the counter, but if you follow instructions the bread can be very forgiving and is worth taking a stab at. Here’s the lowdown on how to make it. First, we dissolve yeast in a bowl of warm milk and allow it to bubble and froth. An egg and egg yolk comes next and is combined with the milk before we add the dry ingredients. As the flour, sugar, and salt get stirred in, the dough becomes a lot more tough, and you’ll be glad to have a stand mixer on hand to do the grunt work for you. Finally, highly quality butter (and loads of it) are added to the mix to create a stringy, soft dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl easily.

Undoubtedly, you already know that I rely on Kerrygold butter for this job. Anytime butter plays a leading role in a recipe, it’s important to call upon a quality product that is well-flavored and loaded with the best kind of fat. Kerrygold is always my choice for babka, and their large blocks are the perfect amount for this recipe.

A Few Pointers

The only semi-annoying thing about making this blueberry babka is that the dough has to rest overnight. This allows the dough to chill and the flavors to amp up. After a few hours in the fridge, we’re ready to roll out our dough. Use a floured rolling pin and a floured workspace to roll the dough into a large rectangle. Work quickly to keep your dough chilly! Next, we spread a blueberry jam/lemon zest mixture all over the dough. I prefer to use quality store bought jam here to save time, but if you’d prefer something different, go for it! The added lemon zest gives dimension to the filling flavor and prevents it from being way too sweet. Roll the dough tightly, slice it down the middle and roll the two strands of dough together to keep the exposed innards facing upwards. Simple!

After a final rise, each loaf of blueberry babka bakes in a preheated oven for 40 minutes. If you’d like an extra-sweet, extra-moist loaf, you can opt to douse the baked loaves with a syrup after baking. I skip this set sometimes to keep the bread a little more guilt-free, but if you want to go all in, GO FOR IT. I’m here for you.

Many thanks to my friends at Kerrygold for sponsoring this and a million other butter-laden posts. I love working with a brand I love and trust so much, and I hope you’ll come to adore them as well. Give their products a try, especially if you decide to make this blueberry babka! Happy baking, happy Monday, and have a great week!

If you like this blueberry babka you should try:

Peanut Butter Chocolate Babka

Baklava Brioche

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Orange Swirl Bread

Peppermint Bark Bread

Blueberry Babka

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★★★★★

5 from 4 reviews

This blueberry babka is a braided loaf filled with blueberry lemon preserves!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 60
Cook Time: 40
Total Time: 360
Yield: 2 Loaves
Category: Bread

Ingredients

For the dough:

1 cup (240 gm) milk, lukewarm
2–1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 large egg plus one large egg yolk
4 cups (560 gm) all-purpose flour
½ cup (100 gm) sugar
2 teaspoons salt
10 tablespoons (140 gm) unsalted butter, at room temperature

For the syrup (optional)

½ cup (100 gm) sugar
½ cup water

For the filling:

1 cup high quality blueberry preserves
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons cinnamon

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Instructions

To prepare the dough:

In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large dough, sprinkle the yeast over the milk and allow to dissolve, about five minutes. Add the egg and egg yolk and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the flour, sugar, and salt and beat on low to combine. Once combined, continue beating for an additional 5 minutes. With the mixer on low, add the butter 1 tablespoon at a time until combined and then beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. If your dough is extremely sticky and doesn’t stretch some away from the wall of the bowl, sprinkle in another 2 tablespoons or so of all-purpose flour. The dough will be loose and wet but should hold its shape decently. Once combined well put the dough into a large, lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow it to rest for an hour. After an hour, dump the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into two equal-sized pieces. Gently work each piece into a flat square. Place a sheet of parchment or Silpat on a baking sheet and grease it with baking spray. Place both squares of dough on the parchment, cover the sheet with plastic wrap, and allow the dough to rest in the fridge overnight.

To shape the loaves:

When you’re ready to prepare your loaves, spray two (8”x4”) loaf pans with cooking spray and line the long sides and bottom with a piece of parchment paper. Combine the jam, zest, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Roll one piece of dough out onto a floured surface into a 13”x16” rectangle. Spread half of the filling in a thin layer over the top of the dough leaving a 1/2 “ border around the perimeter of the dough rectangle. Starting at one of the short ends, roll the dough up tightly and then pinch the end to the roll to seal. Use a sharp knife to cut down the length of the center of the dough log into two pieces. Twist the two pieces around each other into a spiral and then place the wrapped loaf in one of the prepared pans. Repeat the process with the second piece of dough. Cover the pans with a tea towel and allow the loaves to rise in a warm spot in your kitchen, about 1-1/2- 2 hours.

To prepare the syrup (optional):

Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a gently boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Set aside while you bake your loaves. This can be made and refrigerated in advance as well.

When ready to bake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the covers from the pans and place in the preheated oven to bake for about 40 minutes or until the top is golden and the inside registers at 180 degrees F. Remove the loaves from the oven and use a thin skewer or cake tester to poke tiny holes all over the loaves. Pour or brush the syrup over top (optional) or each loaf. Allow to cool slightly in the pan and then continue cooling completely on a cooling rack.

Braided Baklava Brioche

13 Comments / Breakfast

You know that phrase, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks”? Can we just agree that those words are completely, 100% untrue? At 31 years old, I feel pretty old some days, and if you tell me I’ve grown and learned as much life-changing newness as I will be in my lifetime, I give up now. That would be the worst. I don’t want to exist in a world where the curtain has closed on new possibilities.

I think the statement about the dog and his tricks is useful in some scenarios. Like changing people? We just can’t do that. Or becoming a prima ballerina for the NYC Ballet at age 92? Not going to happen. But I do believe that when it comes to ourselves- our own talents, our hopes, our pursuits, our whatever- we can be some old as dirt humans who are still be capable of achieving. The possibility all rests within our resolve and the willingness to work our fanny off.

My kids have been useful in teaching me a few new tricks. Motherhood constantly stretches me beyond what I previously believed I was capable of, and there are days where I reflect on what I’ve accomplished and beam with pride. Baking and managing this business do the same thing. Yes, there are some skills and experiences that feel a lot like standing at the base of Mt. Everest, but I think we can completely void the notion that we’ve missed our opportunity for greatness just by strapping on our boots and tiptoeing onto the mountain. Sometimes we need to just go for it.

So let this be your motivational speech for the week: don’t be afraid to try. Let’s be a people that are constantly evolving, always learning, and never afraid to step into something new. Let’s go after both the things within our reach and the stuff that feels way too far up the side of the mountain. We can be a bunch of old dogs learning tricks.

Braided Baklava Brioche

This braided baklava brioche is not for the faint of heart. Yeast breads like this can be an animal for beginners, and the filling and braiding of this kind of loaf can be super tricky as well. But the reward, a sweetened and lightly spiced bread filled with nuts, honey, and loads of flavor, is totally worth it in every respect.

I’m sharing today’s recipe for this baklava brioche with my friends at Kerrygold! I always reserve their top-notch butter for my favorite, most worthy recipes, and this baklava bread is no exception. Unsalted sweet cream butter helps to transform this bread into a tender, flaky loaf that is full of uncompromised flavor.

Making the Brioche

To make this baklava brioche, we start with the dough. Yeast is dissolved in a bit of warm milk and brown sugar before eggs and honey are added. The dry ingredients, flour, cinnamon, and salt, come next, and are followed up by an incorporating of softened butter. The dough is extremely moist, kinda stretchy, and so delicious that you may end up nibbling on little raw bits before it’s baked. No judgment.

Once the dough for this baklava brioche has risen for the first time, we can prepare the filling. The rolled-out dough is slathered in butter and coated in a sprinkle of sugar, spices, pistachios, and walnuts. Roll the covered dough tightly, cut the log lengthwise to expose the filled innards, and spiral the two pieces together to create and braided wreath of dough. Allow the dough to rest in a warm spot of your kitchen while it rises for a final time.

Fresh from the oven, this baklava bread boasts all of the nutty, spiced flavors of traditional baklava. I love to serve this baklava brioche as a warm breakfast slice, but I think you’d find it to be a suitable dessert or snack as well. This recipe yields a massive loaf of bread, so if someone gets the gumption to test it out as two smaller loaves, I’d love to hear your results! Either way, give this baklava brioche a try and let me know what you think! Many thanks to Kerrygold for sponsoring this baklava brioche post, and many thanks to you all for supporting brands that make Wood & Spoon possible. Happy baking!

If you like this baklava bread you should check out:

Orange Swirl Bread

Peppermint Bark Bread

Cinnamon Bread

Raisin Swirl Bread

Chocolate Peanut Butter Babka

Braided Baklava Brioche

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★★★

2.5 from 2 reviews

This braided baklava brioche is loaded with pistachios, walnuts, honey, and cinnamon- all the flavors of traditional baklava!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 45
Cook Time: 45
Total Time: 360
Yield: 1 Loaf
Category: Bread

Ingredients

For the dough:

½ cup (120 gm) whole milk, lukewarm
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2–1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 tablespoons honey
3 large eggs, at room temperature
½ teaspoon salt
1–1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (290 gm) all-purpose flour, plus more
½ cup (115 gm) unsalted butter, at room temperature

For the filling:

½ cup (115 gm) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup (100 gm) brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons lemon zest
½ cup shelled pistachios, finely chopped
½ cup shelled walnuts, finely chopped

For the syrup:

¼ cup (60 gm) water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons brown sugar

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Instructions

Pour the milk into the bowl of a stand mixer and stir in the brown sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over top and allow it to dissolve completely, about 5 minutes. Stir as needed to get some of the yeast on top dry.
Once dissolved, stir in the honey, eggs, salt, cinnamon, and 1 cup of flour. Once combined, put the flat beater on the stand mixer and stir in the remaining flour. With the mixer on medium speed begin to add the butter a tablespoon at a time until it is combined, and then continue to beat for 4-5 more minutes until the dough becomes slightly stringy/ stretchy on the beater. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Place the finished bowl in a large lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow it to rise and double in size in a warm spot of your kitchen ( I let mine rise by the oven) for about an hour and a half.
Once the dough has doubled in size, prepare the filling. Stir together the softened butter with the brown sugar, cinnamon and lemon zest. Roll the dough out on a floured surface into a 12”x15” rectangle. Spread the mixture evenly over the dough and sprinkle both varieties of nuts on top. Starting with one of the long ends, tightly roll the dough and pinch the final edge together to seal. Flip the dough log over so the seam is on the bottom and use a large sharp knife (like a chef’s knife) to slice down the center of the length of the dough leaving 1” piece of dough uncut up top. This top piece of dough will hold the two halves of dough together. Twist the two dough tails so the innards are facing upwards and then twist around each other to the ends. Bring the tail to meet the head and wrap one on top of another so that you make and O-shaped wreath of dough. Place the wreath into a lightly greased 10” dish or skillet and cover with plastic wrap to rise a second time while you preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Once puffed (about 35-40 minutes) remove the plastic wrap and bake in the preheated oven for about 30 or so minutes. In the meantime, make the syrup.
Combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a bubble, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Once the top of the bread has tanned, the dough in the center looks dry, and the internal temp reads 180 degrees, remove the pan from the oven and immediately pour the syrup on top of the hot bread. Set aside to cool some prior to eating.