Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup whole milk
Cinnamon Swirl Mixture:
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
Optional Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2–3 tbsp milk
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 8×4-inch loaf pans.
- In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then mix in the vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
- In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon for the swirl.
- Spoon half of the batter into prepared loaf pans. Sprinkle with half of the cinnamon mixture. Add remaining batter, then sprinkle with the rest of the cinnamon mixture. Use a knife to gently swirl through the batter.
- Bake for 45–55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let loaves cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
- For glaze (optional), whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. Drizzle over cooled loaves before serving.
Would you like me to keep this as a simple loaf-style recipe, or make it a bit more bakery-style with a crumb topping for extra texture?