Cinnamon Swirl Quick Bread

From: Recipes to Live By (Kelly)

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/3 cups sugar, divided
• 1 egg
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter, 1 cup sugar, and egg. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture alternately with the buttermilk.

In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon and remaining 1/3 cup sugar. Pour a third of the batter into a greased 8X4X2-inch loaf pan. Sprinkle a third of the cinnamon sugar on top of batter. Repeat layers twice.

Bake for 45-50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! I actually made this recipe a year ago for the first time and forgot to blog about it. I love cinnamon bread because I will eat it for breakfast, lunch, snack, whatever! This is a great recipe because it's simple and delicious. I love it! 

Apple-Oat Muffins with Brown-Sugar-Cinnamon Swirl

From: Shape magazine

Ingredients:
1 cup AP flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, divided
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp warm water
1 cup milk
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 egg
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 apple, peeled, cored and diced 

Preheat oven to 400 F. Coat a muffin pan with cooking spray or use cupcake papers.

In a large bowl, combine both flours, oats, granulated sugar, baking powder, 1/2 tsp of the cinnamon, baking soda, salt and cloves. Mix thoroughly with a fork, make a well in the center and set aside. In a small bowl, combine remaining teaspoon of cinnamon, along with brown sugar and water. Whisk until brown sugar is dissolved. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, applesauce, egg, oil and vanilla. Pour liquid mixture into center of dry ingredients and stir until just blended. Fold in diced apple.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups and then top each muffin with 1/4 teaspoon of the brown sugar-cinnamon mix. Using a toothpick, swirl the mixture gently into each muffin. Bake 12 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of one muffin comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes before removing from pan.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! I liked these yummy muffins. I did tell my mom I think I'd like them better without the diced apples, but that's just a texture preference. They are extremely moist and have a bouncy texture due to the applesauce in them, and I like that. They're very easy to make and have a great flavor. I definitely recommend this recipe.

Cinnamon Caramel Swirl Bars

From: Buns in my Oven

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons McCormick® Roasted Saigon Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 package (14 ounces) caramels, unwrapped
1/4 cup milk
Read more at http://www.bunsinmyoven.com/2012/06/27/cinnamon-caramel-swirl-bars/#FKFtWzlt8gD5ToeH.99

1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 pkg (14 oz) caramels
1/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in medium bowl. Set aside. Mix brown sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla in a large bowl until well blended. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix well.

Reserve 1 cup of the batter. Spread remaining batter into lightly greased 13x9-inch pan. Bake 15 minutes or until firm.

In a small saucepan over low-medium heat, heat the caramels and the milk, stirring often, for 2 or 3 minutes or until completely melted. Cool 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Pour over baked layer in pan, spreading to within 1/2 inch of edges. Drop reserved 1 cup batter by spoonfuls over caramel layer. Cut through batter with knife several times for marble effect.

Bake 15-20 minutes longer or until center is set. Cool in pan on wire rack. Lift from pan. Cut into bars.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! I mean, look at the ingredients. How can you go wrong? Love recipes like this and I'll be making this one again.

One Dish Cinnamon Swirl

From: Family Circle

Ingredients:
cooking spray
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 envelopes RapidRise Yeast
2/3 cup milk (120-130 degrees)
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 egg

Cinnamon mixture
3 Tbsp butter, softened
3/4 cup light or dark brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
1 to 2 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp butter, melted
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Mix batter ingredients in a pre-sprayed 8x8 baking dish; let rest for 10 minutes. Combine cinnamon mixture in a small bowl by mixing with fork. Top batter evenly with cinnamon mixture; using fingers, poke topping thoroughly into batter. Bake by placing in a cold oven; set temperature to 350 degrees. Bake 25-30 minutes until lightly browned and firm in center. Cool 10 minutes. Combine icing ingredients and drizzle over warm cake.



What I did differently from the recipe:
I halved the icing recipe.

What I'll do differently next time:
Same thing. I don't like a lot of sweetness on desserts like this!

Verdict:
Thumbs up! This was a fast, easy recipe. I admit, though, I didn't like mixing all the batter in my 8x8 pan. I guess they do that to save you dishes but it was irritating to me. Also, my cinnamon mixture wasn't crumbly, but I think that's my fault. My mixtures with butter and brown sugar never crumble correctly. But the fact is, it's a yummy recipe, especially right out of the oven!

One Dish Cinnamon Swirl

Ingredients:
cooking spray
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 envelopes RapidRise Yeast
2/3 cup milk (120-130 degrees)
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 egg

Cinnamon mixture
3 Tbsp butter, softened
3/4 cup light or dark brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
1 to 2 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp butter, melted
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Mix batter ingredients in a pre-sprayed 8x8 baking dish; let rest for 10 minutes. Combine cinnamon mixture in a small bowl by mixing with fork. Top batter evenly with cinnamon mixture; using fingers, poke topping thoroughly into batter. Bake by placing in a cold oven; set temperature to 350 degrees. Bake 25-30 minutes until lightly browned and firm in center. Cool 10 minutes. Combine icing ingredients and drizzle over warm cake.

Plum Cake with Cinnamon Streusel

From: Sandhills Farm to Table newsletter

Ingredients:
8-10 small red plums, very ripe
3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups yogurt
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder

Cinnamon Streusel
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup flour

Glaze
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup milk
1-2 cups powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350 and grease a 9x13 baking pan. Halve and pit the plums. Cut into quarters. Cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs until lightened and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and yogurt. Sift in the nutmeg, flour, salt, baking soda and powder. Beat until smooth.

Pour half the batter into the pan and smooth it out. Stick half the plum quarters cut side down in a pattern. Pour the other half of the batter over the plums, and layer the rest of the plums on top.

Mix the butter, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon until crumbly and sprinkle over plums.

Bake for about 60 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Let cool for 15 minutes.

Whisk the milk, lemon juice and sugar together until it is a thin but spreadable consistency. Drizzle over cake. Serve warm but not hot.

What I did differently from the recipe:
I didn't have plain yogurt (I assume that's what the recipe calls for) so I used vanilla yogurt of Brianna's. Trust me, it didn't matter.

What I'll do differently next time:
Nothing.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! I love dessert/breakfast items. Mine was a bit dry because I overcooked it by a few minutes but a microwave and butter fixed that problem right up! That was totally my fault; well, Brianna's fault really, but it's hard to mess this recipe up!

Printable version:

Ingredients:
8-10 small red plums, very ripe
3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups yogurt
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder

Cinnamon Streusel
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup flour

Glaze
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup milk
1-2 cups powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350 and grease a 9x13 baking pan. Halve and pit the plums. Cut into quarters. Cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs until lightened and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and yogurt. Sift in the nutmeg, flour, salt, baking soda and powder. Beat until smooth.

Pour half the batter into the pan and smooth it out. Stick half the plum quarters cut side down in a pattern. Pour the other half of the batter over the plums, and layer the rest of the plums on top.

Mix the butter, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon until crumbly and sprinkle over plums.

Bake for about 60 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Let cool for 15 minutes.

Whisk the milk, lemon juice and sugar together until it is a thin but spreadable consistency. Drizzle over cake. Serve warm but not hot.

Baked Crescent Churros

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
2 Tbsp butter, melted

Heat oven to 375. In small bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon; set aside. Unroll dough; separate into 4 rectangles. Press each to 6x4-inch rectangle, pressing perforations to seal.

Brush tops of 2 rectangles with some of the melted butter; sprinkle with about half of the sugar mixture. Top each with remaining rectangle; press edges lightly. Brush tops with melted butter.

With sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut each rectangle stack lengthwise into 6 strips. Twist each strip 3 times; place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Brush tops with any remaining melted butter; sprinkle with remaining sugar mixture.

What I did differently from the recipe:
Not much. I used a smaller can of crescent rolls because there are only two of us (eating solid foods) and we just wanted a light dessert. I didn't measure out the amount of cinnamon and sugar I used because I have a jar of cinnamon sugar on hand and I just poured it on there. In my opinion, you can't overdo the cinnamon sugar.

What I'll do differently next time:
More cinnamon sugar! I STILL didn't use enough! I'd sprinkle more on the outside as well.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! Too easy and a very light dessert or fast breakfast idea. I have a really good recipe somewhere for a sugar dip (like Domino's has for their CinnaSticks) and if I find that I'll post it to go with these. But don't be fooled, these are definitely "crescent churros", not churros from a vendor in New York. But they'll do.