Fun (Fake) Fact: The movie Singing in the Rain was originally going to be Singing in the Raisin, but they had to make script changes when they realized “raisin” wouldn’t fit the rhyme scheme. All jokes aside, there is something marvelously musical about Singing in the Raisin Bread! The raisins baked right into the loaf add fruity and jammy flavor, which add a lovely contrast to the swirls of cinnamon sugar baked deep within! That’s certainly worth singing about! Singing in the Raisin Bread will have you dancing in the streets when you have a slice!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons milk, divided
- 2 (0.25-ounce) packages active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm water, between 110-115 degrees F
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups white sugar, divided
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened, plus 2 tablespoons, melted, divided, plus more, to taste, for greasing the bowl and loaf pans
- 1 cup raisins
- 8 cups all-purpose flour, plus more, to taste, for dusting a work surface
- 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Directions
Step 1 –In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add 1 1/2 cups of the milk and warm it, while stirring occasionally, until it just starts to bubble.
Step 2 –Transfer the milk from the heat and let it cool until lukewarm, about 120-125 degrees F.
Step 3 –Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and let it sit until frothy, about 10 minutes. If the yeast does not become frothy, you will need to redo this step with new yeast and warm water.
Step 4 –Add the eggs, 1/2 cup of the sugar, the salt, 1/2 cup of the softened butter, and the raisins to the yeast mixture and stir to combine.
Step 5 –Slowly add the cooled but still warm milk, while stirring or whisking, into the yeast mixture.
Step 6 –Slowly add 8 cups of the flour into the yeast mixture until a stiff dough forms.
Step 7 –Using the extra flour, lightly dust a work surface.
Step 8 –Turn the dough out onto the prepared work surface and knead the dough until smooth, about 3 minutes.
Step 9 –Using the extra melted butter, grease a large mixing bowl.
Step 10 –Add the dough to the prepared mixing bowl and turn the dough to grease it on all sides.
Step 11 –Cover the bowl with a warm, damp cloth and let the dough rise in a warm place until it doubles in size, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
Step 12 –Using the extra flour, lightly dust a work surface again.
Step 13 –Roll the dough out on the prepared work surface into a 1/2-inch-thick large rectangle.
Step 14 –Moisten the dough with the remaining milk, rubbing it all over with your clean hands.
Step 15 –In a small bowl, add the remaining sugar and the cinnamon and stir to combine.
Step 16 –Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar evenly on top of the moistened dough.
Step 17 –Roll the dough up tightly from the long edge, creating a roll about 3 inches in diameter.
Step 18 –Cut the dough roll into thirds.
Step 19 –Tuck the ends of the dough rolls under and pinch the bottoms of the dough rolls together.
Step 20 –Using the extra melted butter, grease three (9×5-inch) loaf pans.
Step 21 –Place the dough rolls into the prepared loaf pans and allow them to rise in a warm place until they are about doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Step 22 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 23 –Bake the loaves until they are lightly browned and sound hollow when tapped, about 45 minutes.
Step 24 –Allow the loaves to cool in the pans on wire racks for about 5 minutes.
Step 25 –Brush 2 tablespoons of the remaining melted butter over top of the loaves.
Step 26 –Allow the loaves to continue to cool in the pans for 15 minutes.
Step 27 –Transfer the loaves out of the pans to wire racks to cool completely.
Step 28 –Slice and serve.
