I was hoping to get out on my bike one more time this morning before heading out of town for the weekend. The weather looked wet, and I wasn’t feeling motivated to get up and moving. Instead, I went to the park district for a swim. Between running Sunday and biking Monday, my body was pretty tired. However, I continue to be impressed with the fact that I am actually going to the pool. I’ve been swimming so many times this year that I’ve lost track!
This morning, I started off with freestyle laps. I did three at my typically slow pace and then sped up for the forth for 15 minutes of intervals. Then finished off with a little over 10 minutes prone on the kick board. After 25 minutes, I was beat from head to toe and my heart was pounding from the intervals. I happily spent the next 10 minutes in the hot tub before dragging myself out to get ready for work.
I know I don’t even need to tell you guys how much I love making banana bread!
So when someone hands me a bunch of nana’s right before I am heading out of town, I just HAVE to make some banana bread (even if the nana’s aren’t that brown).
In search of a new banana bread recipe, I came across a Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread from Lovin’ From the Oven.
Even though I was thinking about a double chocolate swirl type bread, this recipe definitely caught my eye. I wanted to bring some mini bread loaves to work to share with a few coworkers, so I used three small pans instead of one big one.
The breads baked up beautifully with a crispy top, and I was tempted to tear off a tiny taste of sweet crust.
But I was able to resist! Barely…my kitchen smelled so wonderful!
Instead, I packed them up into colorful bags suited for sharing with friends!
The breads still smelled amazing as I drove from the pool to work this morning, and my coworkers were thrilled to have homemade bread waiting for them at work.
This post is filled with more amazing banana bread recipes!
Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread
From Lovin’ From the Oven
Ingredients
For the bread:
3 over-ripe bananas, smashed up
1/3 cup melted butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
dash of salt
1 1/2 cups flour
For the swirl:
1/3 cup sugar
1 Tbs cinnamon
Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Butter and four a loaf pan (or spray with cooking spray).
Mix bananas, butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla together. sprinkle baking soda and salt around on top of the banana mixture. Then gently stir in flour. Be careful not to over-mix!
In a small dish, mix together the sugar and cinnamon.
Add 1/2 of the batter to the loaf pan and then sprinkle half, or a little more than half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture all over the batter in the pan. Add the rest of the batter, and then sprinkle the leftover cinnamon-sugar on top.
Bake for 50-60 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before removing from the pan.
Note: If baking muffins or mini loaf pans, adjust baking time to ~35 minutes.
Luv What You Do 
Your coworkers must love you! The bread looks delicious!
I’m super impressed with your swimming! And intervals in the morning wouldn’t be easy!
I barely have time for the hot tub or steam before work. (I start at 7 and the pool doesn’t open until 5:30.) if I did, I would love to reward myself with time in there relaxing!
I only make it to the pool on the day where I don’t have to be at work until 10am so the entire morning is a treat! Thanks for your support! That means A LOT to me! I still can’t seem to motivate myself to go longer than 30 minutes, but every little bit counts.
I’m a bigger fan of EATING the banana bread than baking it. lol. Looks delicious! You have some lucky coworkers. 🙂
I love to eat it as well. No surprise it is my fave quick bread!
SWIMMING! Oh YUMMM this bread looks really good! And I love the cute bags. I’m doing whole30 right now but I can’t wait to get my lips on some carbs- haha!
Ohhh what do you think of it???? I have been considering it so I’m curious about your thoughts. Not sure I could live without sweet potatoes and wine : )
It always surprises me what a good workout swimming is! Ummm, this banana bread recipe looks divine! You are seriously my go-to blogger when it comes to banana bread recipes!
Why thank you! What a huge compliment! My coworkers LOVED it and said it was amazing so I think this one is a keeper for sure!
Definitely had to pin this post to remind myself to make some of this bread. Cinnamon magically makes anything better. Sounds like you totally killed your pool work out–way to go! 🙂
I can’t wait to give it a go in the outdoor pool this weekend. It is a small pool but I think the sunshine will do me good : ) I hope you like the bread. I agree…adding cin/sugar to any bread makes it better…especially when it is sweet and crusty!
I really appreciate your love for banana bread 🙂 Your coworkers must love you!
They were really excited to find the surprise at their desks : ) I’ve been told I can never leave because they love having all of my sweets…ha ha!
Did you pack an extra for me? 😉
I should have!!!
If only the computer screen was a scratch and sniff! ha ha!
😉
Yay for swimming! Yay for banana bread!
Ha ha! I swam outside today…yay for that!
Swoon… I love banana bread!
You will dig this one for sure!