One of Those Days (and Cinnamon Quick Bread)

It was a homemade coffee cake / cinnamon toast / cinnamon bun kind of morning. Only we didn’t have any of those items in the house. Or the patience to make dough, let it rise, shape, rise again, bake and wait for something to cool.

But we did have a fresh supply of cinnamon chips in the pantry, and some strong coffee to tide us over. That was enough fuel to put together this ridiculously simple cinnamon bread. Mix the ingredients together, let them hang out for a little while, put in the pan and bake. And voila! Soon your house will smell like the Cinnabon at the local mall.

This bread is notable not only for its ease, but it’s amazing flavor and texture. It resembles a cross between a cake and a quick bread. And the cinnamon sugar topping makes a beautiful crackling crust, under which the moist cinnamony cake/bread awaits.

And the next day? When you still don’t have any coffee cake or cinnamon buns in the house? Try this guy toasted or even better, turned into french toast. And don’t forget the coffee.

Cinnamon Quick Bread

From King Arthur’s Flour

My preferred brand of cinnamon chips come from King Arthur’s, but you can find Hershey’s at most grocery stores and they’ll do in a pinch.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup warm milk
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup cinnamon chips
• Cinnamon-sugar, for topping

Instructions:

• In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, yeast, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, butter, and egg.
• Combine the wet and dry ingredients, beating until smooth.
• Stir in the cinnamon chips. Let the batter rest at room temperature for 1 hour, covered. Towards the end of the rest, preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Spoon the batter into a greased 8 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ loaf pan. Sprinkle the top with cinnamon-sugar.
• Bake the bread for 35 to 40 minutes, until it tests done; a cake tester inserted into the center will come out clean.
• Remove the bread from the oven, let it rest in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer it from the pan to a rack to cool completely.

Note: Don’t slice the bread while it’s hot! It’ll slice much better when it’s completely cool.

Yield: 1 loaf.

6 Comments March 21, 2012