Pretty Dang Quick Cinnamon Bread

I have a collection of old cookbooks that takes up three shelves in my kitchen bookcases. I’d have more except that eventually I tear them up so bad that they are worthless with pages falling out, broken bindings, and stains — so out they go and I go to the used book store or thrift shop and get some more. My favorites are those with handwritten notes in the margins. I find that usually, if you follow those handwritten variations, you come out with something far superior to the original recipe.

Some of my favorite books were published by Farm Journal and most of them, no matter where I find them, have faded blue ink scrawls with notes and variations that I wouldn’t have thought of.

This recipe was like that. It was actually developed by Betty Crocker Kitchens and called Can-Do-Quick-Bread but at some point a previous owner had crossed out the title and scibbled a new title, “Pretty Dang Quick Cinnamon Bread – has a fine crumb”

And it does. Have a fine crumb I mean. The texture is almost cake-like — buttery, sweet and tender with a pop of cinnamon in each bite. You can be pulling warm cinnamon bread out of the oven in less than an hour and a half with this recipe.

The dough is kind of sticky, not so much like the yeast dough you might be used to working with. The addition of baking powder definitely changes the texture.

Roll out the dough on a well floured counter top or else it will stick… and that’s no fun at all.

This makes two loaves – I usually roll out one big rectangle and then cut it in half to make the two loaves but you can do it however you like.

These freeze well so you can easily double or triple the recipe and then freeze the baked loaves.

: Pretty Dang Quick Cinnamon Bread

: tender cinnamon bread with a cake like texture

Ingredients

2 pkg active dry yeast
3/4 cup warm water
pinch of ginger
1 1/4 cup buttermilk – warm
4 1/2 to 5 cups flour
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup melted butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

Grease 2 8″x 4 1/2 ” glass loaf pans and set aside
Dissolve yeast in warm water with a pinch of ginger added (it encourages the yeast to grow..little yeast cheerleaders)
Add buttermilk, 2 1/2 cups of the flour, 1/4 cup unsalted butter, sugar, baking powder and salt
Blend for 30 seconds with a mixer
Beat 2 minutes on medium speed
Stir in remaining flour, keeping dough soft and slightly sticky
Remove from mixer bowl and knead for 5 minutes
Roll into 2- 12″ x7″ rectangles
Spread with half the melted butter and then half the brown sugar mixed with cinnamon
Sprinkle with half the pecans
Roll the dough up from the long side
Pinch the edge to the loaf to seal the seam
Repeat with other rectangle
Place seam side down in the pans
Allow to rise for 1 hour
Bake loaves in a 375F oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow when tapped
Let cool in pan for 10 minutes
Remove from pans and cool completely