Easing Back From Winter Break With GF Cinnamon Swirl Bread

My kids get three weeks off every winter.  I love it because I am able to spend so much time with them.  I hate it because we stay up late, consume too much hot chocolate and sleep in until lunchtime.  In the last week, I have attempted to dial back bedtime from 10:30pm, to a more reasonable 9pm.  This might have been more effective if I had also started getting them up earlier to. So this week they should be a complete disaster in the morning.

I did decide to go ahead an give them a reason to trot out of bed at the unseemly hour of 6:30am.  I went over to Jules Gluten Free site to find a yummy breakfast treat.  I used her GF flour blend for the first time this holiday season, and I really like it.  I was able to substitute it into one of my family's traditional Italian cookie recipes.  (which I would share, but I would have to kill you).

Since I am little low on some other ingredients, I found the recipe for Cinnamon Swirl Bread that was submitted by a reader of the blog.  Let me state, I am not a baker.  I am a decent cook, but baking is not my highest skill set.  So I was pleased when I realized how easy this one is to make.

The batter seemed too little when I made it, and I ran low on sugar.  I substituted 1/3 cup honey for 1/3 cup of the sugar for the batter, so I had enough to spread inside and on top.  It was completely fine and mixed in well.  As for the small amount of batter, it rose!  And I mean, IT ROSE!  It came out fluffy and smelled amazing.

We could not wait to taste it, and cut into it still warm for quality assurance.  The kids and I loved it, and I know for sure it won't make it through the week.  Going back to school might not be great, but they certainly have a bright spot to wake up to!

Soft inside with a sweet cinnamon sugar center

Cinnamon Swirl Bread, recipe adapted from of Jules Gluten Free blog site:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Jules Gluten Free AP Flour
• 1 Tbs. baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1 cup 1% milk
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil

Topping:

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 Tbs ground cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.

In another mixing bowl, whisk together egg, milk, oil and honey.  Slowly stir the dry ingredients into the wet bowl and beat until smooth.

Oil a metal 9x5 pan very well and fill with half of the batter.  Sprinkle 1/2 of the cinnamon sugar mixture on top of batter.  Top with rest of batter and then top with remaining cinnamon sugar.

Bake for 50-55mins, or until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for 20-30mins on rack and then invert on rack that is on top of half sheet pan (to prevent topping for becoming messy).

Cool for at least an hour or until completely cool.  Wrap with plastic wrap and then foil.