Eggnog Cinnamon Loaf
A tender, spiced quick bread infused with creamy eggnog and topped with a sweet cinnamon-sugar crust. The warm spices—cinnamon and nutmeg—echo holiday flavors, while the eggnog creates a rich, velvety crumb. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a festive gift.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Wait
- 20 min
- Total
- 1 hr 25 min
- Makes
- 1 loaf (10 slices)
Steps
Before you start
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) at least 15 minutes before baking.
- Grease a 9×5-inch (23×13 cm) loaf pan with butter or nonstick spray and line the bottom with parchment paper for easy removal.
- Allow eggs to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes so they blend smoothly into the batter.
- Use shelf-stable eggnog (not ultra-cold from the fridge) for best blending.
Mix dry ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour (220 g), baking powder (1.5 tsp), baking soda (0.25 tsp), kosher salt (0.5 tsp), ground cinnamon (1.5 tsp), and freshly grated nutmeg (0.25 tsp).
- Set aside.
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Ready when: Mixture is evenly combined with no streaks of flour visible.
Tip: Sift dry ingredients for a lighter, more tender crumb, especially the spices to ensure even distribution.
Cream butter and sugar
- In a large bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter (113 g) and granulated sugar (200 g) together with a whisk or wooden spoon for 2–3 minutes until pale and fluffy.
- This incorporates air and creates a tender crumb.
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Ready when: Mixture is light in color, fluffy, and leaves a trail when you drag a spoon through it.
Tip: Don't skip this step—creaming butter and sugar builds structure and keeps the loaf tender rather than dense.
Incorporate eggs
- Add the 2 room-temperature large eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated.
- The mixture should look smooth and emulsified, with no visible streaks of egg white.
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Ready when: Mixture is pale, smooth, and uniform in color.
Tip: Cold eggs can cause the batter to break or separate; room temperature ensures a smooth, creamy batter.
Add eggnog and vanilla
- Stir in the eggnog (240 ml) and vanilla extract (5 ml) until just combined.
- The batter should look smooth but may be slightly looser than a typical cake batter.
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Ready when: Eggnog and vanilla are evenly distributed throughout.
Tip: Don't overmix at this stage; overmixing once the liquids are added can develop gluten and make the loaf tough.
Combine wet and dry
- Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients in three additions, folding gently with a rubber spatula after each addition until just barely combined.
- A few small flour streaks are fine—stop folding once you don't see dry flour.
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Ready when: No visible dry flour remains; texture is lumpy but uniform.
Tip: Gentle folding prevents overdeveloping gluten, which would result in a dense, tough crumb. A lumpy batter is okay—lumps smooth out in the oven.
Prepare loaf pan topping
- Mix the ground cinnamon (6 g) and granulated sugar (37.5 g) for the topping in a small bowl.
- Drizzle the melted unsalted butter (28 g) into the prepared loaf pan and coat the bottom and sides lightly.
- Reserve the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
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Ready when: Pan is evenly coated with a thin layer of butter; cinnamon-sugar is mixed and set aside.
Tip: Coating the pan with butter helps the topping adhere and creates a caramelized edge.
Fill pan and top
- Pour half the batter into the prepared loaf pan, spreading gently to even it out.
- Sprinkle half the cinnamon-sugar topping mixture over the batter.
- Pour the remaining batter on top, then sprinkle the remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the surface.
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Ready when: Loaf pan is filled and evenly topped with cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Tip: Layering the topping creates pockets of spiced sweetness throughout the loaf rather than just on top.
BakeOven 350°F / 175°C
- Place the loaf pan in the preheated 350°F (175°C) oven on the center rack.
- Bake for 48–52 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it (not wet batter).
- The top should be golden brown and spring back when lightly touched.
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Ready when: Top is golden brown, toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs, and loaf springs back when lightly pressed.
Tip: Oven temperatures vary; if the top is browning too fast at 45 minutes, tent loosely with aluminum foil and continue baking. The loaf is done when a toothpick shows moist crumbs, not wet batter.
Cool and turn out
- Let the loaf rest in the pan for 15–20 minutes.
- Run a thin knife around the edges to loosen it from the sides, then turn it out onto a wire cooling rack.
- Allow it to cool completely at room temperature before slicing, about 1–2 hours.
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Ready when: Loaf is firm enough to release from the pan without crumbling.
Tip: Turning the loaf out while still warm allows the cinnamon-sugar topping to caramelize on the outside; cooling completely helps it slice cleanly.
Good to know
Tips
- Room-temperature ingredients blend more smoothly and create a lighter, more tender crumb. Let eggs, butter, and eggnog sit out for at least 10–15 minutes before starting.
- Don't skip creaming the butter and sugar—this aerates the batter and is key to a tender loaf rather than a dense one.
- Measure flour by spooning it into your measuring cup and leveling with a knife, or weigh it in grams for accuracy. Scooping directly into the bag can compact the flour and result in too much.
- A loaf that overbakes will be dry. Invest in a good toothpick or cake tester, and pull the loaf as soon as you see moist crumbs—it will finish cooking slightly from residual heat.
Make ahead
The loaf can be baked up to 1 day ahead. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap once cooled and store at room temperature. Reheat gently in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 10–12 minutes to refresh.
Storage & reheating
Room temperature: up to 2 days, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or an airtight container. Refrigerator: up to 5 days, wrapped or in an airtight container. Freezer: up to 2 months, wrapped well in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Thaw at room temperature for 3–4 hours, then serve as is or refresh in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes.
Substitutions
- eggnog (shelf-stable) → whole milk mixed with 2 tbsp bourbon or rum (optional, for flavor) plus 0.5 tsp rum extract. Creates a similar moisture level and subtle spiced flavor, though you'll lose the custard richness of true eggnog.
- freshly grated nutmeg → ground cloves or allspice (use same amount). Cloves are slightly spicier; allspice adds a rounded warm note. Either works well with cinnamon.
- ground cinnamon → apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice (use same amount). Pie spices contain cinnamon plus additional warm spices; use only the amount called for cinnamon if you want to avoid overwhelming other flavors.
- unsalted butter → neutral oil like vegetable or coconut oil (use 6 tbsp or 90 ml). Creates a moister loaf with a slightly less rich flavor. Coconut oil will add subtle coconut notes.
