It never crossed my mind that I could actually make cinnamon raisin bread at home. I always seemed to have the thought that it was just too complicated and that you had to have a crazy expensive machine to make something as beautiful and tasty as this bread. Nope! And thank goodness!

I’m making this as often as possible. So delicious!

 

Enjoy it with a slab of butter…or better yet, peanut butter! 🙂 Because I think that everything goes with peanut butter. 🙂 Addicted. I know.

 

Do you like my new Spring nail polish! 🙂 So pretty! I love it!

 

 

Butterrrrrr…

Now you see it!

 

Now you don’t!

It’s soaked in and wonderfully buttery and cinnamony….is that a word? It is now. I was a math major…gimme a break. 😉

 

 

On another note, let’s talk rising.

Since my house is not warm quite yet, to make a nice and warm place for the dough to rise, put a bowl of water in the microwave for 10 minutes. Once you’ve made you dough, quickly take out the bowl of water and place the covered dough in the microwave to rise in a humid and warm environment. Or, if you’re doing laundry today…you could always stick it in the laundry room near the dryer….always works for me. 🙂

Whole Wheat Cinnamon Swirl Bread

adapted from Cate’s World Kitchen

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup warm skim milk, heated in the microwave until 100°F (should feel like bath water)
• 2 tablespoons dry active yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar + 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoons ground cinnamon + 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons agave or maple syrup
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 2 1/4 cups whole wheat bread flour
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2/3 cup raisins

How-To

1. After running your the metal bowl of your stand mixer under hot water, combine the warm milk, yeast, and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Stir just to combine and let stand for 5 minutes until foamy.
2. Stir in 1/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, butter, vanilla, agave (or maple syrup), and egg and mix well.
3. Add the bread and whole wheat flours gradually.
4. Once all the flour has been added, mix for 10 minutes on medium speed with your dough hook.
5. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise for about an hour and a half in a warm place.
6. While the dough is rising, prepare the filling: In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, brown sugar and raisins. Set aside.
7. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle that is about 10″ x 20″.
8. Spread the filling evenly over the dough, leaving about a 1/2″ border around the rectangle.
9. Roll up the dough, rolling along the shorter side and pinch the ends closed.
10. Put the roll into a greased loaf pan, cover and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes.
11. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
12. Brush the top of the bread with 1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter.
13. Bake the bread for about 45 minutes, until golden brown on the top.
14. Cool in the pan for about 20 minutes.
15. Then, cool completely out of the pan on a wire rack before slicing.

I hope you all have a happy Easter! 🙂