CINNAMON-SUGAR QUICK BREAD MIX

THE SMELL OF CINNAMON LINKS ME to my mother. At the first whiff, I’m transported back to her small, cozy kitchen, waiting impatiently for her flaky, oozing apple dumplings to come out of the oven. Spicy and sweet, the aroma of this simple quick bread conjures up that warm, comfortable feeling for me.

The housework my mum did may seem like simple work, as the world never praises loudly enough the woman who keeps the house and family. My mother’s legacy will be that she looked after her children and reared a good family. It’s fitting that she’s burstingly proud of her children. She likes to tell people that “her children will never have to look over their shoulders.” I take great pride in living up to her standard in that regard, as well as in turning out such warming, delicious treats as this quick bread that’ll please anyone who sits at my table.

MAKES

ONE 9 × 5-INCH / 23 × 13-CENTIMETER LOAF

Zest of 1 large lemon

1½ cups / 180 grams all-purpose flour

1¼ cups / 250 grams granulated sugar

¾ teaspoon salt

¾ teaspoon baking powder

1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 whole vanilla bean

Spread out the zest in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 250°F / 130°C until crispy and golden, 20 to 30 minutes. The goal is to dry the zest out, so that it will store.

In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and dried lemon zest together and spoon into a large, wide-mouth jar or large resealable plastic bag. Add the vanilla bean. Store in a cool dry place until ready to use, for up to 6 months.

To bake the bread: Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C and remove the vanilla bean from the mix. (Don’t waste the precious bean! Reuse it. Rinse it off, and lay it on a tea towel to dry. Once dried, use it to make vanilla sugar [see page 152].) Put the dry mix into a large mixing bowl, make a well in the center, and add ¾ cup / 180 milliliters of milk, ⅔ cup / 160 milliliters of vegetable oil, 1 large beaten egg, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Beat for 2 minutes. Pour into a buttered 9 × 5-inch / 23 × 13-centimeter loaf pan.

Bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let it cool slightly and then remove from the pan.

To make the glaze, combine 1 cup / 100 grams of sifted confectioners’ sugar, 2 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream, and 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon in a mixing bowl and beat until pourable. Add up to 1 more tablespoon of cream, if needed.

To assemble and serve the bread once it’s baked, run a butter knife around the edges of the pan and turn out the bread onto a cooling rack. Place a plate under the rack, pour the glaze over the warm bread, and sprinkle it with additional ground cinnamon. Once the glaze is set, slice and serve warm, or store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.