Cinnamon Sugar Donut Bread (Print Version)
Moist tender loaf with golden cinnamon-sugar crust, evoking classic bakery donuts
# What You Need:
→ Bread Base
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
04 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
05 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
06 - ½ teaspoon salt
07 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
08 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
09 - ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
10 - ¼ cup vegetable oil
11 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
→ Cinnamon Sugar Topping
12 - ¼ cup granulated sugar
13 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
14 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
# How-To:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Thoroughly grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan, or line with parchment paper for easy removal.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the whole milk, eggs, melted butter, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until completely smooth and incorporated.
04 - Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Fold gently with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined—stop as soon as flour streaks disappear. Avoid overmixing to keep bread tender.
05 - Transfer batter to the prepared loaf pan, spreading evenly. Bake for 45-55 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean.
06 - Allow bread to rest in the pan for 10 minutes before carefully removing to a wire cooling rack.
07 - While bread is still warm, brush the entire top surface generously with melted butter. Mix the ¼ cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl, then sprinkle evenly over the buttered surface.
08 - Let bread cool completely before slicing for clean, neat cuts. Alternatively, serve slightly warm for that fresh-from-the-bakery donut experience.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The texture is impossibly light, like eating a donut without the mess of deep frying
- That crackly cinnamon sugar crust makes everything feel like a special occasion
02 -
- Applying the cinnamon sugar while the bread is too hot makes it melt into a glaze instead of forming a crunchy coating
- Waiting too long to add the topping means the butter will not stick and you will end up with cinnamon sugar all over your counter
03 -
- Use room temperature ingredients to ensure everything incorporates evenly and prevents the butter from hardening into tiny lumps
- Rotate the pan halfway through baking if your oven has hot spots so the bread rises evenly