Buttermilk Cinnamon Bread

From Quick Cooking (May/June 1998), page 19.

Yield: two 16-slice loaves

4 cups flour
2 cups buttermilk
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
2 1/2 cups sugar, divided
1 Tbs. cinnamon
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1-2 Tbs. finely chopped walnuts, optional

Mix together buttermilk, eggs, oil, and 1 1/2 cups sugar; set aside.  In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt.

Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture and stir with a spoon until blended. Do not over mix. Mixture should still be very lumpy. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine remaining sugar and cinnamon.

Spoon some of the batter into two greased loaf pans. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar mixture over the batter. Spoon the rest of the batter over the cinnamon sugar. Sprinkle the rest of the cinnamon sugar over the top of the batter.

Use a knife to swirl the cinnamon sugar through the batter.  Top with nuts, if desired.

Bake for 45-60 minutes @ 350˚F. Cool slightly. Loosen loaves and turn out onto cooling racks. Turn loaves right side up to cool. When cool, wrap in waxed paper and then foil or plastic wrap. May be frozen.

Notes:
- If desired, drizzle glaze over top of loaves when they are cooled. Make glaze by mixing about a tablespoon of softened butter or margarine, a teaspoon of vanilla, a cup of powdered sugar, and enough milk or water to make a glaze that can be drizzled from a spoon.

Nutrition Facts:
1 slice = 160 calories, 4 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 14 mg cholesterol, 173 mg sodium, 29 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 3 g protein.