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Cinnamon Swirl Loaf Cake

Cinnamon Swirl Loaf Cake

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 6 reviews
  • Author: Laura Kasavan
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 42 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 2 minutes
  • Yield: 1 loaf, 12 slices
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American

Description

This simple and delicious cinnamon swirl loaf cake tastes like snickerdoodles! With a cinnamon-sugar swirl and vanilla glaze, you’ll love this easy cake.


Ingredients

Cake

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt, at room temperature
  • 1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk, at room temperature

Cinnamon Sugar

  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 tsp cinnamon

Glaze

  • 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp milk

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray. Line the loaf pan with parchment paper, letting excess extend over sides of pan.
  2. Make cake: Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat butter and sugar in a large mixer bowl at medium speed until light and fluffy; beat in egg and vanilla. Combine yogurt and buttermilk in a small bowl. Reduce speed to low and add half of flour mixture, beating just to combine. Add yogurt mixture, then finish with remaining dry ingredients.
  3. Cinnamon swirl: Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Spoon half the batter into prepared pan and smooth top with an offset spatula. Tap pan sharply to reduce air bubbles. Sprinkle 2 1/2 tablespoons of cinnamon sugar over the batter. Spoon the remaining batter evenly over the cinnamon sugar and smooth with an offset spatula; tap pan sharply again. Sprinkle remaining cinnamon sugar over the top of the batter.
  4. Bake cake for 42 to 45 minutes, until cake springs back to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes; carefully lift cake from pan and cool completely.
  5. Make glaze: Whisk together melted butter, salt, vanilla, powdered sugar, and milk in a small bowl. Drizzle glaze over cake and and let set before serving.
  6. Store leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. 


Notes

Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can make your own buttermilk substitute. Mix 1/3 cup room temperature milk and 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar. Stir together and let stand for 10 minutes before using.

Freezing Instructions: Once fully cool, wrap loaf cake in plastic wrap and a freezer bag and freeze up to 2 months. The day before serving, move the cake to the refrigerator (still wrapped to prevent condensation) and defrost overnight. Bring to room temperature, remove plastic wrap, and add glaze.

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