Yield: 8

Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread

image of cinnamon swirl banana bread loaf that's been sliced into to show its beautiful cinnamon sugar swirls

This cinnamon swirl banana bread recipe is absolutely delicious! It's moist, fluffy and packed with cinnamon flavor.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Additional Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

Cinnamon Swirl

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
  • 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon (9g)

Cinnamon Banana Bread Recipe

  • 1 cup mashed bananas, about 2 large bananas (250g)
  • 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (15g)
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (56g)
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil (56g)
  • 1 large egg plus one egg white, room temperature (86g)
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder (6g)
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda (3g)
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon (3g)
  • 1/2 tsp salt (3g)
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, fluffed and level (228g)
  • 1/3 cup buttermilk (80g)

Vanilla Cinnamon Glaze

  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (188g)
  • 3 Tbsp milk, room temperature (45g)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract (4g)
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon (3 grams)

Instructions

Cinnamon Swirl

  1. Mix together 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and 1 Tbsp of ground cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.

Cinnamon Banana Bread

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F / 175 C and grease an 8.5-inch x 4.5-inch loaf pan with non-stick spray.
  2. Mash 1 cup of overripe bananas and combine with 1 Tbsp of freshly squeezed lemon juice. This prevents the bananas from browning and brightens up their flavor. Set aside.
  3. Add 1/4 cup unsalted butter and 1/2 cup granulated sugar into a large bowl. Beat on a medium high speed for 1-2 minutes with either a hand mixer or a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Mix until the mixture becomes lighter in color.
  4. Mix in 1/4 cup vegetable oil and 1 large whole egg + 1 egg white on a medium speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula.
  5. Add in 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour. Mix on a low speed until just combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula.
  6. Pour in 1/3 cup of buttermilk and mix on a low speed until incorporated.
  7. Mix in the mashed banana/lemon juice mixture on a low speed until they're fully incorporated into the batter.
  8. Pour a third of the batter into the prepared pan, then spread half of the cinnamon sugar mixture spread in an even layer over the batter. Repeat this process to make two layers of cinnamon sugar, and top with the remaining batter.
  9. Bake on the upper baking rack of your oven for 55-60 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through to make sure it bakes evenly.
  10. Remove the loaf from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Vanilla Cinnamon Glaze

  1. Place 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1 tsp of vanilla extract, 1 tsp of cinnamon and 3 Tablespoons milk in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk together until smooth and no clumps remain.
  2. This glaze crusts as it sits, so cover it with plastic wrap if you don't plan to use it immediately.
  3. Pour on the cooled loaf of banana bread, and lightly dust with ground cinnamon.

Notes

Making This Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread in Advance & Storage Tips:

You can make this cinnamon swirl banana bread in advance!

It can last for a couple days at room temperature, up to a week in the fridge, or up to a month in the freezer. Store the banana bread in an airtight container to keep it moist.

If you plan to immediately freeze it, I recommend waiting to make the glaze until you thaw it and plan to eat it.

This banana bread freezes extremely well! So don't be afraid to make a double batch and freeze one for later! I like to wrap the banana bread in a layer of plastic wrap, then a layer of foil to lock in all the moisture.

When you're ready to enjoy one of the frozen loaves, move it from the freezer to the fridge the night before. Then set it out at room temperature to let it thaw for a few hours before adding the glaze.

Different Batch Sizes:

This recipe can be doubled to make two loaves.

This recipe can also be used to make cinnamon swirl banana muffins. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake at 350 degrees F for 14-16 minutes.

Nutrition Information

Yield

8

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 429Total Fat 15gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 43mgSodium 357mgCarbohydrates 70gFiber 3gSugar 41gProtein 5g