Ingredients:

  • 1 ¾ cups (220 g) All-Purpose Flour
  • ¾ cup (150 g) Granulated Sugar
  • 2 tsp Baking Powder
  • ½ tsp Fine Sea Salt
  • 2 Large Eggs, room temperature
  • ¾ cup (180 ml) Full-Fat Buttermilk, room temperature
  • ½ cup (115 g) Unsalted Butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • ½ cup packed (110 g) Light Brown Sugar (for filling)
  • 2 Tbsp Ground Cinnamon (for filling)
  • 2 Tbsp (30 g) Unsalted Butter, melted (for filling)
  • 1 cup (125 g) Powdered Sugar, sifted (for optional glaze)
  • ½ tsp Vanilla Extract (for optional glaze)
  • 2–3 Tbsp Milk (or water) (for optional glaze)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease your loaf pan and line it with a parchment paper sling. In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon for the filling until a wet, sandy paste forms. Set aside.
  2. In the largest mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Ensure leavening agents are thoroughly dispersed.
  3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the room temperature buttermilk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract until fully combined.
  4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Fold gently with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix; stop mixing as soon as the flour disappears.
  5. Scoop about half of the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly. Sprinkle roughly two-thirds (2/3) of the cinnamon filling evenly over the batter.
  6. Carefully spoon the remaining batter over the filling layer, spreading it gently to cover the filling completely. Sprinkle the remaining one-third (1/3) of the cinnamon filling over the top surface.
  7. Take a dinner knife or skewer and insert it about ½ inch deep into the batter. Drag it through the batter in an 'S' motion two or three times along the length of the pan to create the swirl effect. Do not over-swirl.
  8. Bake for 55–65 minutes, until a wooden skewer inserted into the center (avoiding the densest part of the filling) comes out clean. If the top browns too fast, loosely tent with foil.
  9. Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Use the parchment sling to lift the bread out and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
  10. To make the optional glaze: Whisk the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk/water until smooth. Drizzle the glaze generously over the cooled quick bread. Wait about 10 minutes for the glaze to set before slicing.