There seriously is nothing like the way your kitchen smells after baking a little something sweet. And trust us, your kitchen will smell divine after you finish creating this simple, yet beautiful masterpiece called Cinnamon Swirl Loaf. A loaf-pan full of love, this moist, cinnamon-swirled cake is topped with a dose of lemony glaze that literally is the icing on the cake! Cinnamon Swirl Loaf is perfect for whipping up for a nice luncheon dessert or afternoon tea, or even just to start your morning off right. Can’t you smell the sweetness?
Ingredients
For the loaf:
- 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
For the swirl:
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
For the lemon glaze:
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 –Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
Step 3 –In a large bowl, add the shortening and the white sugar and beat with an electric hand mixer until well-combined.
Step 4 –Add the eggs to the shortening-sugar mixture and beat until well-combined.
Step 5 –In a separate medium bowl, add the flour, the baking powder, the salt, and the lemon zest and whisk to combine.
Step 6 –Add the flour mixture to the shortening mixture and beat to combine.
Step 7 –In another bowl, add the sour cream and the baking soda and mix to combine.
Step 8 –Add the sour cream mixture to the batter and beat to combine.
Step 9 –In a small bowl, add the brown sugar and the cinnamon and mix to combine.
Step 10 –Evenly pour 1/2 of the batter into the bottom of the prepared loaf pan.
Step 11 –Evenly sprinkle 1/2 of the swirl mixture over the batter.
Step 12 –Use the tip of a butter knife to cut and twist in swirling motions, in about 4-5 different areas of the batter, incorporating the swirl mixture.
Step 13 –Evenly pour the remaining batter over the swirled mixture.
Step 14 –Sprinkle the remaining swirl mixture over the batter and repeat the swirl technique to incorporate the swirl mixture into the top layer of the batter.
Step 15 –Bake the loaf for about 45 minutes.
Step 16 –Reduce the temperature to 300 degrees F and bake the loaf until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 10-15 minutes.
Step 17 –Transfer the loaf pan to a wire rack and let it cool, about 5 minutes.
Step 18 –Invert the loaf onto the wire rack and let it cool completely, about 5 minutes.
Step 19 –While the loaf is cooling, in a small bowl, add the lemon juice and the confectioners’ sugar and whisk until smooth.
Step 20 –Evenly drizzle the lemon glaze over the loaf.
Step 21 –Transfer the loaf to the refrigerator until the glaze hardens, about 5 minutes.
Step 22 –Slice and serve.
