Thanks again, Mr. Pyrex Loaf Pan!!!

Yet another success using my new best baking friend, Mr. Pyrex Loaf Pan. You've been hidden away in my kitchen cabinet abyss for way too long.

I found this recipe for Cinnamon Swirl Bread on the Bake or Break blog a few weeks ago, and since I have a stockpile of cinnamon to use up before I head out west, I decided to make it. It is so moist and delicious. (I can't believe I'm saying this, but this recipe is even better than the Vanilla Coconut Quick Bread I made a few days ago. But really, who can go wrong with two great quick bread recipes?)

Use the strongest cinnamon in your kitchen pantry for best flavor. (Every pantry should have high-quality, flavorful cinnamon in it, or you can buy it here.) I used Extra Fancy Vietnamese Cassia Cinnamon from Penzey's and Nielsen-Massey Mexican pure vanilla extract to both maximize and enhance the cinnamon taste of this bread. This bread is so good I had two pieces (a BIG no-no) for breakfast this morning. I gave the rest to my friend Kurt so I wouldn't eat it all. As usual, he was a very gracious recipient.

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Source: Adapted from Bake or Break blog/BH&G Christmas Baking

1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/3 cup canola oil
1/2 teaspoon Mexican pure vanilla extract (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease/flour/spray the bottom and sides of a 9x5-inch loaf pan. Combine 1/3 cup of sugar, pecans, and cinnamon. Set aside.

Combine 1 cup of sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat egg. Then, stir in milk, oil and vanilla extract. Make a well in the flour mixture and add the egg mixture. Stir just until mixed. Do not overmix.

Pour half of the batter into prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle with half of the cinnamon mixture. Repeat. With a wide rubber scraper or spatula, swirl mixtures together with a down and up circular motion.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until done. Cool in pan for about 10 minutes. Then, cool completely on a wire rack.

My notes: It took my loaf 55 minutes to bake. I added Mexican vanilla extract to the recipe (the original recipe didn't have any vanilla extract in it). I baked this last night and let it sit overnight (wrapped in plastic wrap) before cutting into slices and eating it. All quick breads taste better if you bake them a day before and let the flavors come together overnight before serving.

Vanilla Coconut Quick Bread

I had a package of unsweetened coconut and an unopened bottle of coconut extract in my pantry, and over the weekend I was trying to figure out what I could make to use up the coconut and put a dent in using up the coconut extract. After a quick internet search, I came across this recipe for Vanilla Coconut Quick Bread.

Perfecto!!!

My poor loaf pan barely gets used, so after a 15-minute search through three different kitchen cabinets, I finally found it. I baked this recipe yesterday and let it sit overnight before cutting into it (with a serrated knife, of course) for breakfast this morning. It's perfect as written...don't change a thing. The coconut flavor is fantastic. It has a nice crunchy crust (thanks to a generous spray of cooking spray in the loaf pan) and the middle is perfect...not overly moist, but by no means dry. Make sure to use a finely shredded unsweetened coconut, not the stringy sweetened coconut (like Baker's) you find on the baker's aisle in your local grocery store. You can find the unsweetened coconut in either health stores or specialty grocers like Whole Foods. You may be able to find Bob's Red Mill brand in your regular grocery store's organic section, too.

Your kitchen and house will smell fantastic as this bread is baking, too.

Vanilla Coconut Quick Bread

Source: The Vanilla.COMpany

1 1/4 cups (about 2 1/2 ounces) shredded unsweetened coconut
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1/4 cup canola oil
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons coconut extract
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray; set aside. Spread the coconut on a baking sheet; toast, shaking the pan once, until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Immediately transfer to a bowl and cool slightly.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, coconut, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

In a small bowl, combine the milk, oil, eggs, coconut extract, and vanilla. Beat hard with a whisk until frothy. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in. Stir well with a large spatula until evenly incorporated; batter will be slightly lumpy.

Scrape the batter into the loaf pan. Bake in the center of the preheated oven 50 to 60 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. The top surface will be crusty and firm to the touch, the sides deep brown. Let rest in the pan 10 minutes.

Turn the loaf out onto a rack, right side up, to cool completely before slicing. Wrap in plastic and store at room temperature.

Makes one 9x5-inch loaf.

Notes: Be sure to use unsweetened coconut rather than sweetened, as the sweetened is too moist for this recipe.