Description
This festive Christmas Bread is a delightful sweet loaf bursting with colorful sprinkles and a creamy vanilla glaze. Perfect for holiday gatherings, it combines a tender, moist crumb with warm cinnamon spice and a touch of sour cream for richness. Topped with a sweet glaze and extra sprinkles, this bread is as visually appealing as it is delicious.
Ingredients
Scale
Batter
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- â…” cup Christmas sprinkles (plus more for topping)
Glaze
- 1¼ cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray to ensure easy removal of the bread after baking.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color, which helps create a tender crumb.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract just until combined, then mix in the sour cream and whole milk until the batter is smooth and fully incorporated.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon, evenly distributing the leavening agents and spices.
- Mix Dry into Wet: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring gently until the batter just comes together with no streaks of flour visible to avoid overmixing.
- Fold in Sprinkles: Carefully fold in the Christmas sprinkles, taking care not to overmix as this can cause the colors to bleed into the batter and affect appearance.
- Bake the Bread: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 60 to 70 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean. The top should be lightly golden. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare Glaze: While the bread cools, whisk together powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla extract until smooth and pourable.
- Glaze and Decorate: Spread the glaze evenly over the cooled bread using a rubber spatula. Sprinkle additional Christmas sprinkles on top for a festive finish. Allow the glaze to set before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Be careful not to overmix the batter after adding flour to maintain a light texture.
- Use room temperature ingredients to ensure even mixing.
- The sprinkles add color and texture but avoid over-folding to prevent bleeding.
- Storage: Store leftover bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated up to 5 days.
- For a dairy-free option, substitute butter with a plant-based margarine and sour cream with a dairy-free alternative.
