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Chocolate Cinnamon Bread
5 from 12 votes

Chocolate Cinnamon Bread

Chocolate Cinnamon Bread is a loaf-style sweet bread combining cocoa, cinnamon, and subtle spice notes with a sweet, tender crumb. The batter contains Dutch-processed cocoa powder for deeper chocolate flavor and lighter texture, combined with cinnamon and small amounts of cloves and ginger. A cinnamon-sugar crust adds a textured, flavorful topping. The bread is leavened with baking powder, baking soda, and buttermilk, producing a moist, rich loaf.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
50 mins
Total Time
1 hr 5 mins
Servings: 2 9x5 loaves
Course: Bread
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Chocolate Batter
  • 1 /2 butter at room temperature, unsalted, cups (quantity unspecified
  • 3 cups granulated sugar
  • 5 egg at room temperature, large
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 cups cocoa powder Dutch-processed
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cocoa-Spice Sugar Crust
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon cocoa powder Dutch-processed
  • pinch cloves ground
  • pinch ground ginger

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line two 9x5-inch loaf pans with parchment paper or foil to cover the bottoms and up the sides with at least a 1-inch overhang.** Spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. Cream the butter and sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer until light and creamy, about 5 minutes. Add in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
  3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
  4. In another bowl or liquid mixing cup, combine the buttermilk, water and vanilla.
  5. With the mixer on low, add 1/3 of the dry ingredients, followed by half of the buttermilk mixture, beating just until combined. Add another 1/3 of the dry ingredients, then the remaining buttermilk, followed by the remaining dry ingredients. Divide the mixture between the two prepared loaf pans. Shake the pans back and forth to even the tops, then set aside.
  6. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon, cocoa, ginger and cloves. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the tops of the batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean, 45-55 minutes.
  7. Let the bread cool completely before lifting out of the pans.

Notes

  • Use Dutch-processed cocoa powder for best texture and flavor, preventing the bread from sinking.
  • Line the loaf pans with parchment paper that extends up the sides for easier bread removal and to protect the sugar crust topping.
  • This recipe is adapted slightly from Starbucks and includes a cocoa-spice sugar crust for additional flavor and texture.