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Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread

Cinnamon swirl banana bread with a dramatic cinnamon ribbon spiraling through the golden crumb. This easy banana bread recipe bakes up deeply golden and slices clean, with a marbled cinnamon-sugar center.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 340
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Banana bread base
  • 3 bananas Use very ripe bananas for the best sweetness and texture.
  • 0.5 cup butter Melted.
  • 0.75 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs Large.
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp salt
Cinnamon swirl
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp butter Melted (for the swirl).

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and make batter
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F, then grease a 9x5 loaf pan. Make sure the pan is fully coated for easy release.
  2. Whisk melted butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla into the mashed bananas until smooth. Stop when the batter looks uniform and glossy.
  3. Fold in all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt until just combined. The batter should look thick with no visible dry streaks.
Make cinnamon swirl and layer
  1. Mix brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter together until it forms a thick cinnamon mixture. It should look like a paste that can be drizzled.
  2. Pour half the banana batter into the loaf pan and drizzle all the cinnamon mixture over it. Spread it in a thin layer so the swirl spirals as it bakes.
  3. Pour in the remaining batter, then swirl through with a knife or skewer from top to bottom. Create several passes to form a ribbon through the center.
Bake and slice
  1. Bake at 350°F for 60–70 minutes until deeply golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. A slight dome and set center are your cues.
  2. Cool the loaf for 15 minutes before slicing. This brief rest helps the crumb hold together.

Notes

Pro tip: use bananas that are heavily freckled (the softer the better) so the batter stays moist and the cinnamon ribbon doesn’t sink. Store sliced loaf in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or wrap and freeze up to 2 months. For a lighter option, replace half the sugar with light brown sugar and reduce sweetness slightly while keeping the swirl texture.