Cinnamon-Swirled Apricot Bread
There’s little in this life more pleasant and cozy than a fresh baked good and a cup of tea on a chilly evening, and this loaf is perfect for just such occasions. This tender cake swirled with sweet cinnamon syrup and studded with tart chopped apricots is drizzled with an apricot glaze. It’s perfect for breakfast, dessert, or a sweet snack. It also makes a wonderful gift, great for the upcoming holiday season!
Recipe Notes:
Muffin Variation - This recipe would also make delicious muffins if you prefer that over a full loaf or only want to make a half recipe. Just grease a muffin tin and fill the cups ⅔ full. Baking time will vary based on your oven as always, but I would start with around 15 - 20 minutes at 350 degrees, and insert a toothpick into the center of the muffins to check if they are done baking yet. If the toothpick comes out clean with no batter on it, they’re ready to take out. If not, continue baking in 2-3 minute increments until finished.
Adding the Cinnamon Swirl - While the method of adding the cinnamon syrup to the batter might seem sort of weird, it ensures that you get a good swirl in every slice. I came up with this method while working in a bakery in college - we made our muffin batter the night before so that we could scoop it into the tins and bake it fresh in the mornings. I wanted to make some sort of a cinnamon swirl muffin, and the only way I could think to do it without adding extra time and effort in the morning was to pour the batter into its container and pour a cinnamon syrup on top before I put it in the fridge for the night. Then, when I scooped the batter the next morning, each muffin would have a nice swirl of cinnamon in it. It worked so well that I still use this method today (hence this recipe)!
Alternative toppings - If you’re not a fan of glaze for some reason, this bread is perfectly tasty without. However, if you still want to spice up the topping to make it look a little extra pretty without glaze, you can either sprinkle some granulated sugar on top before baking to give it a shimmery, crackled look, or dust it with powdered sugar after baking to make it look snowy and speckled (both perfect for the holidays!).
Step 1:
Make Cinnamon Syrup
In a small pot, mix together 6 tablespoons of granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons of water, and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.
Place mixture over medium heat and bring to a simmer.
Allow to simmer for about 2 minutes until mixture resembles a slightly thickened smooth syrup.
Remove from the heat and pour immediately into a small bowl. Set aside while you make the batter.
Step 2:
Make Batter
In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup of granulated sugar, 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon of baking powder, and ½ teaspoon of salt.
Roughly chop ½ cup dried apricots into small pieces.
In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 egg, 1 cup of whole milk, and ⅓ cup melted coconut oil. Don’t let this mixture sit long before proceeding to the next part of the step, or the coconut oil will harden from the cold milk and rise to the top.
Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture along with the chopped apricots and mix with a large spoon until just combined. Some small lumps are ok.
Step 3:
Add Batter to Pan
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease a standard loaf pan.
Line the loaf pan with a piece of parchment, making sure to push it into the corners of the pan. Trim excess parchment that’s hanging over the edges.
Take the cinnamon syrup you made earlier and drizzle it over the batter in the bowl.
Using either a large spoon or a cookie dough or ice cream scoop, scoop the batter into the prepared loaf pan, making sure to get batter and syrup in each scoop.
Continue scooping until all the batter and syrup has been transferred to the pan.
Step 4:
Bake
Bake loaf for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Step 5:
Glaze
In a small bowl, mix together ¼ cup powdered sugar, a tablespoon of apricot jam, and a splash of cold water.
When bread is fully cooled, drizzle the glaze over it with a spoon.
Wait at least 10 minutes for the glaze to harden slightly, then slice and enjoy!
Cinnamon-Swirled Apricot Bread
Servings: 8-12 Time: 90 mins - 2 hours, counting baking and cooling time
Difficulty: Medium
Ingredients
For Batter:
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 TBS. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 egg
1 cup whole milk
⅓ cup melted coconut oil
½ cup roughly chopped dried apricots
For Swirl:
2 TBS. granulated sugar
2 TBS. water
1 tsp. cinnamon
For Glaze:
1 TBS. apricot jam
¼ cup powdered sugar
Splash of cold water
Directions
Step 1: Make Cinnamon Swirl Syrup
In a small pot, stir together sugar, water, and cinnamon. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Stirring occasionally, let simmer for about 2 minutes until cooked to a smooth syrup and sugar is fully dissolved. Remove from heat and pour immediately into a small bowl to cool. Set aside while you make the batter.
Step 2: Make Batter
In a large bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Roughly chop your apricots if you haven’t yet. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together egg, milk, and melted coconut oil (don’t let this mixture sit for too long or the oil will harden into chunks). Pour the wet mixture and the apricots into the dry mixture and stir until just combined. Some small lumps are ok.
Step 3: Add Batter to Pan
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a standard loaf pan and line with parchment, making sure to press parchment into corners. Trim excess parchment that’s hanging over edges. Take the cinnamon syrup you made earlier and drizzle it over the batter in the bowl. Using either a large spoon or a cookie dough or ice cream scoop, scoop the batter into the prepared loaf pan, making sure to get batter and syrup in each scoop. This will create cinnamon swirls in each slice.
Step 4: Bake
Bake loaf for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Step 5: Glaze
In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, apricot jam, and water. When bread is fully cooled, drizzle glaze over loaf with a spoon. Let bread sit about 10 minutes to allow glaze to set before slicing and enjoying.