Description
This festive Christmas Bread is a delightful sweet loaf bursting with colorful sprinkles and topped with a smooth vanilla glaze. Moist and tender, it’s perfect for holiday breakfasts or as a cheerful dessert to share with family and friends during the holiday season.
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: Preheat your oven to 350°F and spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray; set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add in the eggs and vanilla extract, mixing just until combined. Then stir in the sour cream and whole milk until incorporated; set the batter aside.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon to ensure even distribution.
- Combine Batter: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined, making sure no flour streaks remain. Avoid overmixing to keep the bread tender.
- Fold in Sprinkles: Gently fold in the Christmas sprinkles, being careful not to overmix to prevent the colors from bleeding into the batter.
- Bake: Spread the batter evenly into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is golden.
- Cool Bread: Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare Icing: While the bread is cooling, whisk together the powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla extract until smooth to create the glaze.
- Glaze and Decorate: Spread the icing evenly over the cooled bread using a rubber spatula. Sprinkle additional Christmas sprinkles on top if desired. Let the glaze set before slicing and serving.
Notes
- If the bread begins to brown too quickly during baking, cover it loosely with a foil tent to prevent over-browning while it finishes cooking.
- Do not overmix the batter after adding the flour and sprinkles to maintain a light and tender texture.
- Allow the bread to cool completely before glazing to prevent the icing from melting and sliding off.
- Use a rubber spatula to spread the glaze gently without damaging the delicate surface of the bread.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (about 60 g)
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
