Sweet Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread Recipe

Introduction

Discover the magic of Sweet Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread, a delightful twist on a classic favorite. With ribbons of cinnamon sugar swirled through moist banana bread, this recipe elevates everyday baking into something special. Perfect for using overripe bananas and satisfying your sweet tooth any time of day.

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter (room temperature, unsalted preferred)
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs (room temperature)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1.75 cups mashed banana (about 3-4 ripe bananas)
• 6 slices banana (for topping)

For the cinnamon swirl:

• 3 tbsp butter (melted and cooled)
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 3 tbsp brown sugar (packed)
• 2.5 tbsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan with butter or cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine the melted, cooled butter with sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Stir well and set aside.
2. Step 2: In a large bowl, cream together the room-temperature butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Stir in vanilla extract.
3. Step 3: In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt. Alternate adding this dry mixture and the mashed bananas to the wet ingredients, starting and ending with the dry mixture. Stir gently until just combined; a few lumps are fine.
4. Step 4: Pour about 1 cup of batter into the loaf pan. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the cinnamon mixture over it. Using a knife or skewer, gently swirl to create marbled streaks. Repeat twice more: add batter, sprinkle cinnamon mixture, and swirl. For the last layer, add remaining batter, top with remaining cinnamon mixture, and swirl once more.
5. Step 5: Arrange the banana slices in a single layer on top of the batter. Bake for 60-70 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, and the top is golden brown.
6. Step 6: Let the bread cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Then turn it out onto a wire rack and cool completely before slicing for best results.

Tips & Variations

• Use bananas with lots of brown spots for the sweetest, most flavorful bread.
• Substitute butter with vegetable or coconut oil for a moister, denser loaf.
• Try coconut sugar or reduce sugar by ¼ cup if you prefer less sweetness.
• Use whole wheat flour for half the flour for a heartier texture, or a gluten-free baking blend as needed.
• When swirling cinnamon, use gentle figure-eight motions to keep the beautiful pattern.
• Serve slices with butter, cream cheese, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an indulgent treat.

Storage

Store your banana bread wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, refrigerate up to a week or freeze for up to 3 months. To enjoy frozen slices, thaw on the counter for 30 minutes or microwave briefly for 15-20 seconds. Warm slices in the microwave or toaster oven to revive fresh-baked texture and highlight the cinnamon swirl.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

What kind of bananas work best for banana bread?

Overripe bananas with brown spots or black peels are ideal because they are sweeter and mash easily, resulting in moist and flavorful bread.

Can I substitute the eggs in this recipe?

Yes, for each egg you can use ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce or one flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water, set for 5 minutes). The texture will be slightly different but still delicious.

Sweet Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread Recipe

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★★★★★

5 from 104 reviews

• Author: anna
• Total Time: 90-100 minutes
• Yield: 12 slices 1x

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Description

This Sweet Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread elevates traditional banana bread with beautiful ribbons of cinnamon sugar swirled through the batter, creating a moist, flavorful loaf perfect for breakfast or dessert. Using overripe bananas ensures optimal sweetness and moisture, while simple pantry ingredients come together with an easy layering technique before baking to produce an irresistibly tender crumb and eye-catching swirl.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the Bread:

• 1 cup butter (room temperature, preferably unsalted Kerrygold for richer flavor)
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs (room temperature, about 70°F for better emulsion)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (e.g., King Arthur)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1.75 cups mashed banana (thoroughly mashed until smooth)
• 6 slices banana (for topping)

For the Cinnamon Swirl:

• 3 tbsp butter (melted and cooled to room temperature)
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 3 tbsp brown sugar (packed tightly to add molasses flavor)
• 2.5 tbsp ground cinnamon

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Instructions

1. Prepare the Pan and Make the Cinnamon Swirl Mixture: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan with butter or cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons melted and cooled butter, 3 tablespoons sugar, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, and 2.5 tablespoons cinnamon, stirring well to blend. Set aside this cinnamon swirl mixture—it will create the beautiful swirls in your bread.
2. Cream Butter and Sugar, Then Build the Batter: In a large bowl, cream together 1 cup room-temperature butter and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes, to incorporate air for a tender crumb. Add the 2 room-temperature eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then mix in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 1/4 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Alternate adding the dry mixture and 1.75 cups mashed bananas to the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry mixture. Stir gently until just combined to avoid overmixing, leaving a few small lumps for optimal texture.
3. Layer the Batter and Cinnamon Swirl: Pour approximately 1 cup of batter into the prepared pan, then sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of the cinnamon swirl mixture on top. Using a knife or skewer, gently swirl the mixture through the batter in figure-eight motions to create marbled cinnamon ribbons—avoid over-swizzling to keep them distinct. Repeat the layering process two more times: add 1 cup batter, sprinkle cinnamon mixture, and swirl. For the final layer, add the remaining batter, top with remaining cinnamon mixture, and swirl once more.
4. Add the Banana Topping and Bake: Arrange the 6 banana slices in a single layer on top of the batter; they will partially sink during baking and add an attractive finish. Bake the loaf in the preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes, checking doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center—it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs. The top should be golden brown.
5. Cool and Serve: Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for 30 minutes to let the structure set, ensuring it holds together when removed. Then, turn the bread out onto a wire rack and cool completely before slicing. This resting time helps with neater slices and a better texture for serving.

Notes

• Use overripe bananas with lots of brown spots or black peels for maximum sweetness and moisture.
• Avoid overmixing the batter once flour is added to prevent tough, dense bread.
• Swirl the cinnamon mixture gently; too much swirling blends the flavors and loses the attractive ribbons.
• Start checking for doneness at 60 minutes to avoid overbaking and drying out the bread.
• Butter, vegetable oil, or melted coconut oil can be substituted for butter in the batter, with some texture variations.
• Sugar can be swapped with coconut sugar or a granulated sweetener; reduce sugar slightly if bananas are very ripe.
• Eggs can be replaced with applesauce or flax eggs for alternative diets, though texture will differ slightly.
• Whole wheat flour can replace up to half the all-purpose flour for a heartier loaf; gluten-free flour blend can be used for gluten-free baking.
• Store banana bread wrapped at room temperature up to 3 days, refrigerated up to a week, or freeze up to 3 months.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 60-70 minutes
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Keywords: banana bread, cinnamon swirl, sweet banana bread, easy banana bread recipe, banana dessert, cinnamon sugar, baked bread, breakfast bread