This sweet and swirly cinnamon swirl pound cake loaf tastes best with a cup of coffee. It’s warm and doughy with the perfect amount of fluff to it. It’s the perfect amount of sweet for a morning treat or a delicious after-brunch dessert. With a crumbly and crunchy cinnamon topping and it’s perfectly moist on the swirly inside with brown sugar and a pinch of nutmeg. So delicious.
Better than a coffee shop loaf cake! This was so fun to create. Plus, it made my home smell like a bakery attached to a coffee shop. So delicious, I could hardly wait for this cinnamon swirl pound cake loaf to come out of the oven. It was easy to make too! Perfect for a weekday dessert treat or to make the night before to pair with morning coffee.
Let’s make Cinnamon Swirl Pound Cake Loaf
The key to success with this pound cake loaf (and pound cakes in general, in my opinion!) is using the creaming method.
What’s the creaming method?
The creaming method shows up in a lot of cake batters, brownies, and some cookies. The creaming method is a method in baking that involves paddling sugar into butter until the sugar is completely combined and the butter has increased in volume and becomes bright and pale in color. The butter changes in volume and color because bubbles of air are being mixed into the mixture–This in return helps to leaven the batter!
After the butter and sugar are combined, the eggs are added incrementally to the mixture. Once your eggs are fully incorporated into your batter, it’s totally normal for it to look like it’s curdling. This will smooth out when you add your flour!
That’s the creaming method in a nutshell! 🙂
The steps
I love this pound cake loaf because it’s honestly super easy to make. The longest part is waiting for it to pop out of the oven. Let go over the steps!
First, prepare your 9-inch loaf pan with non-stick spray, butter, or parchment paper.
Add your butter into the bowl of your standing mixer. Beat the butter with a paddle attachment for about a minute at a medium speed.
Add in your sugar (and salt!) and beat on a medium-high speed until the butter becomes very pale and has increased in volume. (About a third of its original size) This takes about 3 minutes.
Once your butter has increased in volume and is pale, add your eggs one at a time into your mixture. Continue combining at a medium speed.
Now, add in your vanilla extract! Reduce your speed to medium-low and incorporate your flour into the mixture. Don’t over-mix your batter! Just mix it long enough for the flour to be fully incorporated.
Next, pour half your batter into your prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle your cinnamon swirl mixture over the batter, covering it completely. Save roughly two tablespoons of your cinnamon swirl mixture to top your loaf. Pour the remaining batter on top of your cinnamon swirl layer. Take a butter knife and swirl your batter a few times, going back and forth in your loaf pan. This will create a pretty swirly look when it’s sliced!
Pop it in the oven for 55-60 minutes! Stick a butter knife in it at 55 minutes to check on it. if it comes out clean, or almost clean, it’s done! If not, let it go another 5 minutes.
Hope you love this Cinnamon Swirl Pound Cake Loaf <3
Looking for more baking recipes? check out these below:
Cinnamon Swirl Pound Cake Loaf
Ingredients
For the cake batter
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
- 1 cup sugar plus one tablespoon!
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
For the cinnamon swirl
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 big pinch nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 °F
- Prepare a 9-inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray, butter, or parchment paper
- Add your butter into the bowl of your standing mixer. Beat the butter with a paddle attachment for about a minute at a medium speed. Add in your sugar and salt and beat on a medium-high speed until the butter becomes very pale and has increased in volume. (About a third of its original size) This takes about 3 minutes.
- Add your eggs and egg yolk one at a time into your mixture. Continue combining at a medium speed. Add in your vanilla extract. Reduce speed to medium-low and incorporate your flour into the mixture. Don't over-mix your batter! Just mix it long enough for the flour to be fully incorporated.
- pour half your batter into your prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle your cinnamon swirl mixture over the batter, covering it completely. Save roughly two tablespoons of your cinnamon swirl mixture to top your loaf. Pour the remaining batter on top of your cinnamon swirl layer. Take a butter knife and swirl your batter a few times, going back and forth in your loaf pan. This will create a pretty swirly look when it's sliced!
- Bake for 55-60 minutes. If a butter knife comes out clean, or almost clean, your loaf is done!