Cinnamon Swirl Raisin Bread

Gloria shared this...and goodness, I could just eat the computer screen those loaves look so yummy!

Oh my! How delicious!

{ 07:37, Friday, January 23, 2009 } { Posted in Family Meal Table } { 7 comments } { Link }

I was in the mood to bake something "new" today...... I took out my favorite cookbook: Betty Crocker's Old Fashioned Cookbook, ( out print - you can pick one up used thru amazon.com) and found the recipe for this amazingly delicious and finger looking good sweet bread.......... oh my goodness....... it turned out sooooooo good every bite was delicious........

It rose beautifully on the tile hearth by our wood stove........

The whole house smelled like baking bread & cinnamon........

I added icing to it for an extra sweet "touch".........

This recipe is a cinnamon swirl raisin sweet bread......... how good does this look, eh?

My family loves the cinnamon raisin bread we purchase at the Amish bakery, but they charge quite a bit for one loaf..... so I now know how to make my own and save a bit of $$! We love this kind of bread the next day sliced and dipped in eggs and baked for french toast!

Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread

6 - 6 1/2 cups of flour ( I used half white/half wheat)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tsp salt

2 TBS yeast

2 cups warm water

1/4 cup oil

2 eggs

1 cup raisins

1 TBS ground cinnamon

Veggetable oil

1. Proof the yeast by placing it in the warm water. Let sit for a few minutes then add 3 cups flour, 1/3 cup sugar, the salt, oil, and the eggs. Beat on low speed for 1 minute, scraping bowl often. Beat on med speed for 1 minute. Stir in raisans and remaining flour, 1 cup at a time to make dough easy to handle.

2. Turn dough on a lightly floured surface, knead for about 5 minutes or so , until smooth and elastic.

3. Place in greased bowl , turn upside down. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in size. ( I place mine on the tile hearth by the woodstove)

4. Grease 2 loaf pans. Mix 1/2 cup granulated sugar with cinnamon. Punch dough down, divide in half. Flatten each half with hands and then roll into a rectangle approximately 18x9 inches. Brush with oil, sprinkle half the cinnamon sugar mixture. Roll up tightly, beginning at 9 inch side . Seal bread and fold ends under loaf. Place loaf, seam side down in pan. Brush with oil. Let rise about 1 hour or so in a warm place.

5. Preheat oven to 375. Bake 30 minutes or until loaves are a deep golden brown and sound hallow when tapped.

6. Remove from pans & cool, ice or spread butter on top.

YIELDS: 2 loaves

I hope your family enjoys this bread as much as mine did!

~ gloria ~