Cinnamon Raisin Batter Bread

 

Here I am with another recipe from my Big Blue Binder today. I have no idea where it came from.  The Big Blue Binder is a large plastic covered binder which I have used to collect recipes in from the time I was a teenager.  Many of them are hand written, gifts from friends and family through the years.

It also contains delicious sounding recipes that I clipped from out of newspapers, magazines and from the back of boxes, etc.  It is filled with over 50 years worth of tried and trues and family favorites. 

This cinnamon raisin batter bread recipe is one of them. 

 

I have never been really good at making bread from scratch. My mother made good bread.  She had nice strong arms which belied her size. (She was as tiny as a bird.) She had the perfect knack for kneading that made her loaves rise tall and fluffy.

We always knew it was a good day when we arrived home from school and could smell bread baking before we even opened the door to our home.

Mom used to shape each loaf into two  big round "bubbles" or rolls and set them beside each other in the tin.  I always loved the heel as she called it (the crusty ends) but I loved the "fluff" even more. The "fluff" was the bits of bread where the two bubbles touched and baked together.  Nothing tasted better, warm from the oven with some cold butter and peanut butter or honey spread over top!

I can bake batter breads however. They always turn out for me, probably because there is no real kneading involved. My children always loved this Cinnamon Raisin Batter Bread. No small surprise, as it is fragrant with cinnamon and studded generously with sweet sticky raisins!

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CINNAMON RAISIN BATTER BREAD

No special flours or ingredients needed. Just baking cupboard ingredients and an electric hand mixer. Oh, and an 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch bread tin!

• 1 packages of regular dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
• 1 1//4 cups (300ml) warm water (not hot)
• 2 TBS liquid honey
• 2 TBS butter, melted and cooled
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 TBS ground cinnamon
• 3 cups (375g) plain all purpose flour
• 1 cup (151g) sultana raisins

 

By regular yeast I mean the kind that is not meant to be used in a bread machine, or "instant" yeast.   Do make sure the water is only just warm to the touch. If it is too hot it will kill the yeast.

I used a locally produced honey as it has a lovely mild flavor, produced from clover blossom.  I used salted butter.

I used Saigon cinnamon. It has a lovely and more pronounced cinnamon flavor.  Also no need to use specific flour made for bread.  All purpose plain flour works well in this recipe.

You can use any raisin you like, I just happened to have sultanas in the house.

 

HOW TO MAKE CINNAMON RAISIN BATTER BREAD

If this was any easier to make, it would make itself!! Easy peazy, lemon squeezy! You can easily turn this into a plain white loaf by leaving out the cinnamon and raisins.

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water in a large bowl. Stir in the honey and then leave to sit for 5 minutes to prove.

Add the melted butter, salt, cinnamon, and 2 cups of the flour.(250g) Beat on low speed with an electric hand mixer until thoroughly blended. Increase the speed to high and beat for one minute.

Beat in the remaining 1 cup (125g) of flour using a wooden spoon. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic cling film and set aside in a warm place to rise until double in size, about 45 minutes.

Punch down the dough, adding the raisins, by stirring the dough for about 30 strokes with a wooden spoon. Just poke the raisins in if they are sticking out.

 

Butter an 8 1/2 inch by 4 1/2 inch bread tin. Transfer the dough to the buttered pan, poking in any raisins again. Cover loosely with plastic cling film and leave to rise again, just to the edge of the pan (not over). This will take about 30 to 40 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375*F/190*C/ gas mark 5.

Remove the plastic cling film from the loaf and bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes until golden brown and the loaf tests done by tipping out of the pan and tapping on the bottom of the baked loaf. If done it will sound hollow.

 

This recipe produces a lovely loaf of bread with a beautiful tight crumb and texture. It is studded generously with sweet raisins, but the bread itself is not overly sweet, which I liked.

As far as taste and ease of making and baking goes, I give this bread a hearty two thumbs up every time. It also makes beautiful toast as well as French toast!

Although I am not the best bread baker in the world, I do love to make bread and I find that easy breads such as batter breads usually work very well for me. Here are a few other favorites that we enjoy!

OATMEAL BATTER BREAD -  I think this is my all-time favorite batter bread. It is moist and delicious with a beautiful flavor and texture.  It is also very pretty to look at. It only requires one rising.  You simply mix it up and then pop it into the baking tin. It rises right in the loaf tin, so it is also very quick to make. I highly recommend!

NO KNEAD LIGHT RYE BREAD - Not only is this loaf, light and delicious, but it is also quick and easy. Filled with the goodness of whole grains and the natural sweetness of honey, with a beautiful light crumb, and wonderful flavors . . . honey, whole wheat, rye  . . .  and no kneading involved at all

Yield: Makes one medium loaf

Author: Marie Rayner

Cinnamon Raisin Batter Bread

Prep time: 1 H & 15 MCook time: 35 MinTotal time: 1 H & 50 M

This is a simple, quick and easy loaf to make. The finished bread has a beautiful tight crumb and delicious flavor, and is studded generously with plenty of raisins. No fuss, no muss.

Ingredients

• 1 packages of regular dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
• 1 1//4 cups (300ml) warm water (not hot)
• 2 TBS liquid honey
• 2 TBS butter, melted and cooled
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 TBS ground cinnamon
• 3 cups (375g) plain all purpose flour
• 1 cup (151g) sultana raisins

Instructions

1. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water in a large bowl. Stir in the honey and then leave to sit for 5 minutes to prove.
2. Add the melted butter, salt, cinnamon, and 2 cups of the flour.(250g) Beat on low speed with an electric hand mixer until thoroughly blended. Increase the speed to high and beat for one minute.
3. Beat in the remaining 1 cup (125g) of flour using a wooden spoon. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic cling film and set aside in a warm place to rise until double in size, about 45 minutes.
4. Punch down the dough, adding the raisins, by stirring the dough for about 30 strokes with a wooden spoon. Just poke the raisins in if they are sticking out.
5. Butter an 8 1/2 inch by 4 1/2 inch bread tin. Transfer the dough to the buttered pan, poking in any raisins again. Cover loosely with plastic cling film and leave to rise again, just to the edge of the pan (not over). This will take about 30 to 40 minutes.
6. Preheat the oven to 375*F/190*C/ gas mark 5.
7. Remove the plastic cling film from the loaf and bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes until golden brown and the loaf tests done by tipping out of the pan and tapping on the bottom of the baked loaf. If done it will sound hollow.

Notes

You can make this a simple white loaf by leaving out the cinnamon and the raisins.

Did you make this recipe?

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