Cinnamon Raisin Quick Bread
Cinnamon and raisin is a classic flavor combination that can be enjoyed all year round. A great way to showcase these flavors is in a quick bread. That means this bread does not need yeast or proofing, and has a texture more like a cake that comes from a batter instead of a dough. This quick bread features a thick swirl of cinnamon sugar in the middle, raisins mixed throughout, and a cream cheese icing. True to its name, this tasty treat only takes about and hour and a half from start to finish.
Prep Your Ingredients
Before you begin mixing the batter, follow these steps to prep some of your ingredients:
Soak raisins in warm water for at least 15 minutes to rehydrate them. This step is optional but recommended as it makes the raisins more plump and gives them a softer texture in the finished product.
Allow the egg, milk, and Greek yogurt to come to room temperature. This will help them better mix into the batter.
Mix together 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon in small bowl and set it aside for later.
Mix the Batter
For the dry ingredients: Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl and set aside.
For the wet ingredients: Whisk together the remaining 3/4 cup of sugar, egg, and vegetable oil in a medium bowl until fully combined. Add milk, yogurt, and vanilla and mix until smooth.
Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and whisk until just combined. Strain the water from the raisins and fold them into the batter.
Transfer to the Baking Pan and Create the Swirl
Thoroughly grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. For easier removal, also line with parchment paper, leaving a little hanging over the edge as seen in the pictures below.
Pour half of the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it out evenly. Sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar mixture over the batter (like the picture on the left below), reserving around 2 tablespoons for the top. Add the remaining batter to the pan and carefully spread it out over the layer of cinnamon and sugar, taking care to not let the two mix. Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon and sugar over the top.
Now it’s time to create the swirl! To do so, gently run a knife through the batter in a wave pattern. Make sure the knife goes all the way to the bottom while you are doing this so the swirl appears throughout the whole loaf. Reference the picture on the right below to see what the finished swirl should look like from the top.
Bake the Bread
Bake at 350°F for 50-60 minutes until a skewer inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out free of crumbs. Allow the bread to cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before removing and transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Make the Icing, Slice, and Enjoy!
To make the icing, whisk together softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons of milk until smooth. You can add an additional tablespoon of milk if you would like a thinner glaze. I like to do this in a liquid measuring cup for easy pouring.
Pour the glaze over the cooled loaf of quick bread. The icing does not fully set, so the bread is ready to serve right away. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Cinnamon Raisin Quickbread
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup raisins
- 1 and 1/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 2/3 cup whole milk, room temperature
- 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2-3 tbsp milk of choice
Instructions
- Optional (but recommended) step: Soak the raisins in warm water for at least 15 minutes to rehydrate them.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Thoroughly grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. For easier removal, also line with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, stir together 1/2 cup of sugar and the cinnamon. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 3/4 cup of sugar, egg, and vegetable oil until fully combined. Add the milk, yogurt, and vanilla and mix until smooth.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined.
- Strain the raisins (if soaked) and fold them into the batter.
- Pour half of the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it out evenly. Sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar mixture over the batter, reserving around 2 tablespoons for the top. Add the remaining batter to the pan and carefully spread it out over the layer of cinnamon and sugar, taking care to not let the two mix. Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon and sugar over the top.
- Create a swirl pattern by gently running a knife through the batter in a wave pattern. Make sure the knife goes all the way to the bottom while you are doing this so the swirl appears throughout the whole loaf.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes until a skewer inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out free of crumbs. Allow the quickbread to cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before removing and transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
- To make the icing, whisk together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons of milk until smooth. You can add an additional tablespoon of milk if you would like a thinner glaze. Tip: do this in a liquid measuring cup for easy pouring.
- Pour the glaze over the cooled quickbread, slice, and enjoy!
Notes
- Storage Instructions: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also freeze un-glazed quickbread, tightly wrapped in two layers of plastic wrap, for up to 3 months.
- Variations: Try using pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice instead of just cinnamon for added flavor. You can also use dried cranberries or cherries in place of the raisins.
