Description
This festive Christmas Bread is a moist and tender loaf bursting with colorful Christmas sprinkles and a sweet vanilla glaze. Perfect for holiday breakfasts or as a delightful treat alongside coffee or tea. The bread balances the soft crumb from sour cream and milk with warm cinnamon and a beautifully sweet icing topped with extra sprinkles to brighten up any holiday table.
Ingredients
Scale
Bread:
- 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
- ⅔ cup Christmas sprinkles, plus more for topping
Icing:
- 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 together the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, which helps give the bread a tender texture.
- Add eggs and liquids: Beat in the eggs one at a time along with the vanilla extract just until combined. Then mix in the sour cream and whole milk until everything is smoothly incorporated.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a separate large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon to evenly distribute the leavening agents and spices.
- Mix wet and dry ingredients: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring gently until just combined. Be careful not to overmix to avoid a dense loaf.
- Fold in sprinkles: Carefully fold in ⅔ cup of Christmas sprinkles, taking care not to overmix so the colors do not bleed into the batter.
- Bake the bread: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, spreading it evenly. Bake for approximately 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top turns a light golden brown.
- 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 and allow it to cool completely before icing.
- Make the icing: While the bread cools, whisk together powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla extract until smooth and spreadable.
- Glaze and decorate: Spread the icing evenly over the fully cooled bread with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle additional Christmas sprinkles on top for a festive finishing touch. Let the icing set before slicing and serving.
Notes
- If the bread starts browning too quickly during baking, tent it loosely with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning while it finishes cooking.
- Allow the bread to cool completely before icing to prevent the glaze from melting.
- This bread can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- For a dairy-free variation, substitute butter with a plant-based alternative and use a non-dairy milk.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 1/12 of loaf)
- Calories: 230
- Sugar: 17g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
