cinnamon swirl

Raisin Swirl Bread

Raisin Swirl Bread Recipe by Kate Wood of The Wood and Spoon Blog. This is a recipe for 2 loaves of fluffy white bread swirled with cinnamon sugar and raisins. This bread makes delicious toast and is perfect for breakfast or casual dessert. You can freeze this bread to save for later and it is perfect for sharing. Learn to roll and shape this loaf of bread and read more about this delicious and simple yeast bread requiring egg and milk on thewoodandspoon.com

I think the first day of adulthood can be marked by the moment you realize that you are your mother. High school graduation, a promotion at work, the birth of a child, yes, but nothing makes me feel like a old lady more than admitting I want to be just like my mom.

Growing up, my mother and I weren’t always thick as thieves. She took the role of chauffer, chef, and maid, while I played the despondent, self-centered child with not even a lick of courtesy or common sense. As far as I was concerned, she was too strict, too loud, too all up in my business all the time, and I swore I’d do it better when I had kids of my own someday. And let’s all just laugh at that illusion, right?

Raisin Swirl Bread Recipe by Kate Wood of The Wood and Spoon Blog. This is a recipe for 2 loaves of fluffy white bread swirled with cinnamon sugar and raisins. This bread makes delicious toast and is perfect for breakfast or casual dessert. You can freeze this bread to save for later and it is perfect for sharing. Learn to roll and shape this loaf of bread and read more about this delicious and simple yeast bread requiring egg and milk on thewoodandspoon.com

At sixteen, it was easy for me to believe that my mom existed for little more than to ruin my life, but as I began to trudge through the muck of early adulthood, I discovered a few holes in that theory. Now, as I enter the early phases of what I pray will be many years of parenting, I think about my own children and how I can nurture them into becoming exceptional humans. I look at my mom, along with so many other beautiful women who have invested in my story, and I think, “What is the secret? How did she make it look so easy? How can I grow up to be more like her?”

“All that I am, or ever hope to be, I owe to my mother.” -Abraham Lincoln

The honest truth is that I don’t have a clue. If someone has already written a manual on adulting, they sure haven’t assigned me a copy yet. As far as I know, we’re all just supposed to feel our way through the dark and trust that someone else remembers to bring the flash light; just tell me when we arrive, okay? So in the meantime, until I figure it out being a grown up, this is my plan:

I will be too strict, too loud, too all up in my children’s business. I will discipline and ask the hard questions, even if it hurts. There will be fights, apologies, and more tears than worth counting, but I’ll do it because it’s my job. Because I love them. Because their future and soul and body is worth fighting for.

Raisin Swirl Bread Recipe by Kate Wood of The Wood and Spoon Blog. This is a recipe for 2 loaves of fluffy white bread swirled with cinnamon sugar and raisins. This bread makes delicious toast and is perfect for breakfast or casual dessert. You can freeze this bread to save for later and it is perfect for sharing. Learn to roll and shape this loaf of bread and read more about this delicious and simple yeast bread requiring egg and milk on thewoodandspoon.com

Thankfully, there’s room for so much joy too. We can play and eat ice cream sundaes and sing silly songs from “Mary Poppins” at the top of our lungs. Or we can share and forgive. We can settle into loving each other and learn to make room for other people at our table too. As their mother, I will protect and grow these babies with my sincerest efforts, but I will also rest in knowing that God will take care of the parts that I mess up.

That’s what my mother taught me to do.

Raisin Swirl Bread Recipe by Kate Wood of The Wood and Spoon Blog. This is a recipe for 2 loaves of fluffy white bread swirled with cinnamon sugar and raisins. This bread makes delicious toast and is perfect for breakfast or casual dessert. You can freeze this bread to save for later and it is perfect for sharing. Learn to roll and shape this loaf of bread and read more about this delicious and simple yeast bread requiring egg and milk on thewoodandspoon.com

Raisin Swirl Bread

Raisin swirl bread won’t make you a good parent. It’s not super healthy and doesn’t boast a hidden serving of fruits and vegetables. Buttered toast is a far cry from a superfood, but it is comfortable and necessary, so I think you’ll want to find these loaves gracing your table too.

The recipe for this raisin swirl bread was adapted from my favorite whole wheat sandwich bread. These loaves are oversized, fluffy, and pale, swirled with cinnamon and sugar and nuggets of dried fruit. Each slice of bread toasts up crisp and golden and tastes perfect with a schmear of butter. Even though my oldest baby typically prefers my cinnamon swirl bread, she also totally adores this raisin bread. The 2-year old endorses it, so surely it’s a win, right?

Raisin Swirl Bread Recipe by Kate Wood of The Wood and Spoon Blog. This is a recipe for 2 loaves of fluffy white bread swirled with cinnamon sugar and raisins. This bread makes delicious toast and is perfect for breakfast or casual dessert. You can freeze this bread to save for later and it is perfect for sharing. Learn to roll and shape this loaf of bread and read more about this delicious and simple yeast bread requiring egg and milk on thewoodandspoon.com

Making the Bread

First, make your dough for your raisin swirl bread. A little activated yeast and water mix with some milk, honey, egg, and oil. Add in some flour and salt and mix until well combined. Knead the dough until it becomes slightly stretchy and then allow it to rise. Once doubled in size, divide the dough in two and roll each half into a large rectangle of dough. Sprinkle with cinnamon, sugar, and a handful of raisins before rolling the loaves and leaving them to rise a second time.

Raisin Swirl Bread Recipe by Kate Wood of The Wood and Spoon Blog. This is a recipe for 2 loaves of fluffy white bread swirled with cinnamon sugar and raisins. This bread makes delicious toast and is perfect for breakfast or casual dessert. You can freeze this bread to save for later and it is perfect for sharing. Learn to roll and shape this loaf of bread and read more about this delicious and simple yeast bread requiring egg and milk on thewoodandspoon.com

After baking, these loaves of raisin swirl bread boast a glossy, golden top and a soft and fluffy center. You can change up the swirl filling depending on your preferences, but somehow the old classic of cinnamon sugar and raisins just fits the bill. This raisin swirl bread is a treat the whole family can rally around unless, of course, your husband is terrified of dried fruit. **Clears throat, raises eyebrows, gives husband the stink eye**

Give this raisin swirl bread a try and let me know what you think. Maybe send the extra loaf to your mama or someone who took time to teach you the good lessons in life. Love them a little this week. AND DON’T FORGET TO VOTE FOR THE SAVEUR BLOG AWARDS! You can find yours truly as a nominee in the “Best Baking and Sweets” category. Vote as often as you’d like from now until September 8th by clicking here or on the link on my blog homepage. Cheers!

If you like the recipe for this raisin swirl bread, you should try:

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Honey Oat Bread

Breakfast Danish

Flaxseed Bread

Print

Raisin Swirl Bread

This recipe for raisin swirl bread makes two loaves of fluffy white bread swirled with cinnamon sugar and dotted with juicy raisins. 

  • Author: Kate Wood
  • Prep Time: 120
  • Cook Time: 40
  • Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
  • Category: Bread

Ingredients

For the dough:

  • 1 cup (240 mL) warm water
  • 3 teaspoons active dy yeast
  • 11/4 cup (300 mL) milk (I use 2%), room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons (30 mL) honey
  • 3 tablespoons light oil (canola, vegetable, or extra light olive oil)
  • 1 large egg
  • 6 cups (730 gm) of all-purpose flour
  • 11/2 teaspoons salt
 
For the filling:
  • 6 tablespoons (75 gm) sugar
  • 21/2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup raisins

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, sprinkle yeast over the water and allow to dissolve, about 5 minutes.
  2. Stir in the milk, honey, oil, and egg. Add 2 cups of the flour and the salt, stirring just until combined. Add the remaining flour and stir until the dough is a fairly uniform, shaggy dough.
  3. In a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment (or by hand, if preferred), knead dough on medium speed until dough is smooth and only slightly tacky, about 7-8 minutes. If the dough is too sticky, add up to 1/2 cup of additional flour.
  4. Spray a large bowl lightly with baking spray and place dough inside, covering tightly with a sheet of Saran wrap. Allow to rest in a warm spot for about 1-1/2 hours, or until dough has risen and is approximately double in size.
  5. 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. 
  6. Combine the cinnamon, sugar, and flour in a small bowl and sprinkle the mixture evenly over the surface of each piece of dough. Sprinkle on the raisins as well.
  7. 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 45 minutes, or until the dough has risen one inch over the top of the pan. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  8. Once risen, brush a thin layer of wash over the tops of each loaf. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until loaves have turned golden and sound slightly hollow when tapped on the top.
  9. Allow to cool in pan for ten minutes and then remove to finish cooling on a cooling rack.

Notes

  • You can use a slightly large bread pan for this recipe as these loaves are massive! 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.

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can't wait to see what you've made!

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Cinnamon Swirl Bread Recipe by the Wood and Spoon blog by Kate Wood. This recipe makes two loaves of cinnamon babka or brioche style bread using butter and eggs. The bread is soft and sweet like Hawaiian bread but makes homemade bread similar to commercial breakfast bread. There is a tutorial on how to roll these fluffy loaves and how to get lots of swirls throughout. Find the recipe on thewoodandspoon.com

As a mom, one of the concepts I teach on repeat to my eldest is sharing. At two years old, my daughter already knows when she’s done wrong by refusing to share her toys, snacks, or even love and affection with others. I don’t expect her to master such a skill for quite some time, but I keep pushing her to do so, recognizing that learning to share from an early age will only benefit her.

Sharing is Caring

We adults, though…. man, we really suck at sharing sometimes. We love to make things all about ourselves, and often withhold love, time, energy, and tangible items from those around us who want to share in it. I know that degree of selfishness is all over my life, so I’m thinking I can’t possibly be the only one, right?

This blog is intended to be a platform for sharing. Of course I want to give you recipes and ideas, tips and techniques, how-to’s and pretty photos to look at. But I also want to share thoughts. I want to give you encouragement and laughter and joy via words on these pages, and although I’m sure I’m not always successful in that, I wouldn’t dare quit trying. What use are your passions if you don’t share them with someone? What use are your gifts if you don’t give them away?

So, a challenge to you: share with someone today. Spend yourself on someone else. Volunteer, give a compliment, go the extra mile. Share a coffee, a lunch table, or ANYTHING. Whatever it looks like, just share. I don’t think you’ll regret it.

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

And speaking of sharing, let’s talk about this cinnamon swirl bread. I have to tell you that my message on sharing comes with the most selfish of motives. A long time favorite of mine is the cinnamon swirl bread from Edgar’s Bakery here in Alabama. It’s perfect, and if you’ve had it, you know why I’m raving about it. A girlfriend of mine asked them for the recipe, and I have questioned them for tidbits on the bread on countless occasions, but CAN YOU BELIEVE THEY DIDN’T SHARE IT WITH ME?? Ok, that’s sarcasm. If I had that recipe and was willing to bake and sell to the masses, I would retire early and spend the rest of my days baking those sweet baby angel loaves for anyone who would buy them from me.

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

A Bread Months in the Making

I spent months trying to get the filling on this bread right. MONTHS. I’m talking at least 15-20 test bakes. The end result is worth it. This cinnamon swirl bread, made with butter, sugar, and eggs,  is straight up magical. Similar to a babka, the dough for this bread is moist, buttery, and a bit stringy while being mixed up. After an initial rise, we roll it out super thin and spread it with a cinnamon sugar schmear that, if it weren’t entirely weird, I would consider scrubbing all over my bod. A few rolls, twists, and a rise later, the bread is popped in the oven until it’s dark, golden and fragrant enough to scent your entire home.

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

This cinnamon swirl bread is the most delicious thing that I know how to make. It’s not the easiest thing I know how to make, but you can bet every bag of sugar at the grocery store that it’s the tastiest. If you have free time this week, I really think you should make this bread. Read through the instructions carefully, set out enough time for the rising of the bread, and plan on being patient with the process. The end result is life changing delicious, and you’ll be glad you have an extra loaf to stick in the freezer. You can do the extra kind thing and share your second loaf with a friend… but even I might be selfish enough to save it for myself. No judgement.

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Happy Tuesday, Happy Baking, and Happy Sharing! Cheers to you!

Print

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

This cinnamon swirl bread recipe makes two loaves of fluffy, buttery bread that is spiced with cinnamon and swirled with brown sugar.

  • Author: Kate Wood
  • Prep Time: 90
  • Cook Time: 60
  • Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
  • Yield: 2
  • Category: Bread

Ingredients

For the dough

  • 3/4 cup warm milk (not hot or cold)
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 3 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 3 1/4 cups (about 1 lb) all-purpose flour, with more for flouring surfaces
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 egg yolk, white reserved
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

For the filling

  • 8 tablespoons melted butter, slightly cooled
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 6 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 egg white

For the loaves

  • 1 egg, lightly beaten with two teaspoons of water
  • parchment paper

Instructions

To prepare the dough

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the warm milk and 2 teaspoons of sugar. Evenly sprinkle the yeast over top of the milk and allow the yeast to activate, about 5 minutes. The mixture should froth and foam slightly. You can stir it gently to make sure all the yeast has been moistened, but if the yeast does not foam, dump it out and start over. Once yeast has been activated, beat 1/2 cup of the flour in to the milk mixture using the paddle attachment. Once combined, add the remaining sugar, eggs, egg yolk, vanilla, and salt, and beat the mixture on medium speed until combined. On low speed, add the remainder of the flour, 1/2 cup at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Once evenly combined, increase the speed to medium (I use speed number 4 on my Kitchen Aid stand mixer) and add the softened butter 1 tablespoon at a time. Scrape the sides of the bowl and then continue to beat on medium speed for an additional 4 minutes. The dough will be quite moist and sticky, and will hold together in long strands when you attempt to scoop it from the bowl.
  2. Lightly grease a large bowl and place the dough inside, covering it tightly with a piece of plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rest until it has approximately doubled in size, about 1-1/2-2 hours. Once the dough has nearly doubled in size, prepare the filling.

To prepare the filling

  1. Combine the cooled, melted butter, sugars, cinnamon, flour, and salt, stirring until combined. Add the egg white, stirring just until combined. You will use approximately ½ cup of filling for each loaf.

To prepare the loaves

  1. Once the dough has doubled in size, line 2 loaf pans (8 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ x 2 3/4″) with parchment paper. Cut two sheets of parchment paper- one to fit the pan lengthwise and one to fit widthwise- with some extra paper to hang over the sides.
  2. Generously flour your work surface and rolling pin. Prepare your egg wash by whisking together the egg and water. Set aside.
  3. Gently punch the dough down into the bowl once and divide the dough in half. Take one half of the dough and lay it on your floured surface. Generously dust the top of the dough with flour as well. Using your rolling pin, roll your first piece of dough as evenly as possible into a 22″x10″ rectangle. (I even use a ruler!) You may need to re-flour your work surface if the dough begins to stick. Using a pastry brush, lightly paint the outside 1/2″ edges of your dough with your egg wash. Spread half of the filling (about ½ cup) evenly inside the egg wash border.
  4. Standing with one of the long edges closest to you, begin to tightly roll your dough away from you, forming a 22″ long roll of dough. Gently pinch the dough together at the seam to seal the filling inside the roll.
  5. Spread about 1-2 tablespoons of filling on the top of the roll of dough and then fold it on top of itself, forming an 11” long folded roll of dough. Shape the loaf, by pulling the ends of the dough roll together to form a “U” shape. Twist the two ends over each other twice to form a figure 8 shape and tuck the end pieces under the dough. Place your rolled loaf in one of the prepared pans and repeat the entire process with the remaining half of dough. Once both loaves have been formed, cover again with plastic wrap and allow to rise again for about 1-1/2-2 hours. The dough should rise about 1/2-1″ over the top of the pans. Do not let them over-rise.
  6. When the dough is nearly risen, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and brush the remaining egg wash over the tops of the loaves. Bake in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes, or until the tops are a dark golden brown and no longer squishy or underbaked looking. Look especially for underbaked parts in the creases of the twists on top of the loaves. Allow to cool in the pans on a cooling rack for about 20 minutes and then remove from the pan to cool completely.

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can't wait to see what you've made!

Recipe Adapted From: NYT

SOMETHING SWEET FOR YOU

Sign up to get new Wood & Spoon blog posts delivered straight to your inbox!
Enter your email address