Description
This festive Christmas Bread is a delightful, colorful treat perfect for holiday gatherings. Soft and moist with a hint of cinnamon, it features vibrant Christmas sprinkles folded into a tender vanilla-flavored batter, topped with a simple powdered sugar glaze and more sprinkles for a joyful finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Bread Batter
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup original sour cream
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- â…” cup Christmas sprinkles
Glaze
- 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Christmas sprinkles for topping
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick baking spray to ensure the bread doesn’t stick.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, use a mixer to cream the softened butter and white sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, which will help create a tender texture.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the eggs one at a time with the vanilla extract, mixing just until combined. Then add sour cream and milk, beating until all wet ingredients are well incorporated.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon to evenly distribute the leavening agents and spices.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring gently until just combined to avoid overmixing the batter.
- Fold in Sprinkles: Gently fold in the Christmas sprinkles using a rubber spatula, being careful not to overmix to prevent the sprinkles from bleeding color into the batter.
- Fill Loaf Pan: Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread the top evenly with the spatula for uniform baking.
- Bake the Bread: Place in the preheated oven and bake for 60 to 70 minutes. Test doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the loaf; it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool the Bread: Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely, which helps prevent sogginess.
- Prepare the Glaze: While the bread cools, whisk together powdered sugar, heavy whipping cream, and vanilla extract until smooth and pourable.
- Glaze and Decorate: Once the bread is fully cooled, drizzle the glaze over the top, then sprinkle additional Christmas sprinkles for a festive touch. Allow the glaze to set before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Do not overmix the batter after adding the dry ingredients to keep the bread tender.
- Make sure the bread is completely cool before glazing to prevent the glaze from melting off.
- You can substitute sour cream with Greek yogurt for a slightly tangier flavor.
- Store leftovers tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for longer freshness.
- Use rainbow or colored sugar sprinkles to maintain their color and texture in the batter.
