Cinnamon Donut Bread is a quick and easy way to bake a cinnamon sugar flavored donut as a loaf of bread instead of deep frying. Cakey and moist, sweetly spiced, it's delicious for breakfast, snack, or dessert.
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Cinnamon Donut Bread is a quick and easy way to bake a cinnamon sugar flavored donut as a loaf of bread instead of deep frying. The donut bread is baked until golden brown and then dipped into lots of butter and coated with cinnamon sugar – it’s a loaf that everyone will love! Cakey and moist, sweetly spiced, it’s delicious for breakfast, snack, or dessert.
Why We Love This Cinnamon Donut Bread Recipe
- Quick and easy to prepare in 15 minutes.
- Shortcut recipe uses simple ingredients plus a cake mix.
- Tastes like a cinnamon sugar donut but baked as a loaf of bread.
- Warming and delicious fall flavors.
- Portable for potlucks and great for gifting.
- Slice and serve for breakfast, brunch, an after school snack, or dessert.
Ingredients
- Pound cake mix: I used a Betty Crocker brand of pound cake. You should be able to use any other mixture as long as it’s the same size.
- Vegetable oil
- Eggs
- Half and half
- Light brown sugar: You can substitute dark brown sugar if you prefer.
- Cinnamon
- Salted butter
- White granulated sugar: You can substitute more light brown sugar if you need.
- Nutmeg: You can use additional cinnamon if you don’t have or do not like nutmeg.
Substitutions and Additions
- Other Oil: You can use canola oil or another flavorless oil such as avocado oil or grapeseed oil.
- Half and Half: You can use ⅓ cup heavy cream and ⅓ cup milk if you don’t have half and half. You can also substitute just milk, though it might change the texture of the bread a little.
- Add-Ins: Feel free to add nutmeg to the cinnamon dough, put in some raisins, chopped walnuts, almonds or pecans, or even mix in some mini chocolate chips for a bit more decadence.
How to Make Cinnamon Swirl Donut Bread
Cinnamon Donut Bread is a quick and easy way to bake your favorite flavored donut in a loaf pan. Deliciously moist and buttery, there’s nothing better than serving this sweet treat as a slice for breakfast!
- Prepare The Batter: Beat together the pound cake mix, vegetable oil, eggs, and half and half, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, and beat again until smooth.
- Separate The Batter: Place ¾ cup of the batter in a bowl and stir in the light brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
- Prepare The Pan: Pour a little more than half of the plain batter in the pan and then scoop the cinnamon and sugar batter on top. Swirl the batters together, creating a pattern, and then cover with the rest of the plain batter.
Pro Tip: Make sure the cinnamon sugar batter doesn’t touch the side of the pan. - Bake: Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 50-60 minutes or until lightly golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes.
- Butter The Bread: Cover warm bread with melted butter. You can either dip it into a large dish or brush a thick layer of butter onto the bread.
- Make The Topping: Whisk together the white sugar, light brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour it into a small, lipped baking sheet.
- Coat The Loaf: Dip each side of your bread in melted butter and then into the sugar mixture.
- Serve: Serve warm or allow to cool completely before cutting and serving. Enjoy!
Storage Tips
- To Store: You can store your bread covered or in a ziploc bag at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To Freeze: Let your Cinnamon Donut Bread cool completely before wrapping in plastic wrap and placing in a freezer-safe bag. Bread will stay fresh in the freezer for 3 months.
Other Easy Quick Breads and Bars Recipes
Cinnamon Donut Bread
Serves — 10
Cinnamon Donut Bread is a quick and easy way to bake a cinnamon sugar flavored donut as a loaf of bread instead of deep frying. Cakey and moist, sweetly spiced, it's delicious for breakfast, snack, or dessert.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Ingredients
Bread:
- 16 ounce box pound cake mix
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- ⅔ cups half and half
- 2 tbsps light brown sugar packed
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
Topping:
- ¼ cup (½ stick) salted butter melted
- ¼ cup white granulated sugar
- 2 tbsps light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a loaf pan with cooking spray.
- Use a hand or stand mixer to beat together the pound cake mix, vegetable oil, large eggs and half and half in a medium sized mixing bowl for 30 seconds.
- Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and then beat again for 2 minutes or until combined and smooth.
- Place ¾ cup of the batter in a small mixing bowl and stir in the light brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside for now.
- Pour a little more than half of the plain batter in the prepared loaf pan and then scoop the cinnamon and sugar batter on top, leaving a border around it so it doesn’t touch the side of the pan.
- Use a butter knife to swirl the batters together lightly, creating a pattern.
- Cover the cinnamon and sugar batter with the rest of the plain batter, as evenly as possible. It’s okay if some of the cinnamon batter is poking through.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes or until lightly golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean or with just a couple of crumbs.
- Allow the bread to cool for 10 minutes while you prepare the topping ingredients.
- Cover warm bread with melted butter. You can either dip it into a large dish or brush a thick layer of butter onto the bread.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the white granulated sugar, light brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Pour it into a small, lipped baking sheet or 9×13 inch baking pan, in an even layer.
- Dip each side in the melted butter and then into the sugar mixture.
- Serve warm or allow to cool completely before cutting and serving.
Notes
Storage:
- To Store: You can store your bread covered or in a ziploc bag at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To Freeze: Let your Cinnamon Donut Bread cool completely before wrapping in plastic wrap and placing in a freezer-safe bag. Bread will stay fresh in the freezer for 3 months.
- If you want to change up your Cinnamon Donut Bread a little you can add nutmeg to the cinnamon dough, put in some chopped walnuts, almonds or pecans or even mix in some mini chocolate chips for a bit more decadence.
Nutrition Info
Calories: 285kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 375mg | Potassium: 77mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 251IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 143mg | Iron: 1mg
