photo of snickerdoodle bread in loaf pan with a slice of the bread on a small white plate next to it

About This Snickerdoodle Bread Recipe

This incredibly soft and moist snickerdoodle bread recipe is a loaf cake recipe variation of my popular Soft and Fluffy Snickerdoodle Cake Recipe! The bread is made with a soft and moist butter cake batter leavened with cream of tartar. The cream of tartar gives it a tangy flavor similar to a classic snickerdoodle recipe (like My Best Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe). The batter is then swirled and topped with cinnamon sugar, giving it a crunchy, flaky sugar top texture.

For more popular snickerdoodle recipes on Hummingbird High, check out this Snickerdoodle Recipe Without Cream Of Tartar!

close-up photo of snickerdoodle bread unsliced showing its crunchy sugar top texture

Why You Should Make The Recipe

Here are all the reasons to make this incredibly soft and moist snickerdoodle bread recipe:

The recipe is adapted from the old fashioned coffee cake recipe that inspired snickerdoodle cookies.

When developing the recipes for My Best Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe and Snickerdoodle Recipe Without Cream Of Tartar, I discovered that snickerdoodles might have originated from an old fashioned coffee cake recipe.

Specifically: Stella Parks, former pastry chef at Serious Eats, writes in her cookbook that the cookies evolved from a popular cinnamon-scented cake recipe called the “snip doodle”. That sounded delicious to me, so I decided to hunt down the recipe for Hummingbird High—which I published as this incredibly popular Soft and Fluffy Snickerdoodle Cake recipe.

Since publishing the recipe, many of you have requested instructions on how to adapt the cake to bake in a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan to make a snickerdoodle flavored bread. This is exactly what I’ve done in today’s post!

closeup photo of snickerdoodle bread sliced in the pan

Ingredients and Substitutions

Here’s everything you need to make this incredibly soft and moist snickerdoodle bread recipe:

Shopping List For Snickerdoodle Bread Recipe

  • all-purpose flour
  • cream of tartar
  • baking soda
  • ground nutmeg
  • kosher salt
  • granulated sugar
  • unsalted butter
  • large eggs
  • whole milk
  • pure vanilla extract
  • ground cinnamon

And let’s talk about some key ingredients and potential substitutions:

Cream Of Tartar

You need ½ teaspoon cream of tartar to make this snickerdoodle cake.

What is cream of tartar? And can I make snickerdoodles without cream of tartar?

Cream of tartar is an acidic by-product of fermenting grapes into wine. Bakers primarily use it to stabilize meringues and whipped creams, and to make traditional cookie recipes like snickerdoodles. For a more in-depth post about cream of tartar and if you can make snickerdoodles without it, check out my post that explores whether or not you can make snickerdoodles without cream of tartar.

But the TL/DR is this: yes, you can make snickerdoodles without cream of tartar (like I did in this Snickerdoodle Recipe Without Cream Of Tartar). But doing so will change the cookies’ flavor, texture, and even appearance! 

Can I make this snickerdoodle cake without cream of tartar?

Okay, so you read my post about why cream of tartar is necessary in snickerdoodles and weren’t convinced. No worries!

You can substitute the ½ teaspoon cream of tartar and ¼ teaspoon baking soda with 1 teaspoon baking powder and still make this snickerdoodle bread.

However, your snickerdoodle cake will taste slightly different. It won’t rise quite as much (though you’ll still get a decent crumb), and won’t taste as tangy.

Looking for a snickerdoodle recipe without cream of tartar? I got you. Check out this Snickerdoodle Recipe Without Cream Of Tartar on Hummingbird High!

photo of snickerdoodle bread slices on small white plates with michelle of hummingbird high holding up one of the plates

How To Make Snickerdoodle Bread

Here are the basic steps to make this incredibly soft and moist snickerdoodle bread from scratch:

  1. Prep the ingredients for the snickerdoodle bread, swirl, and topping. (Prep Time: 5 minutes)

  2. Make the snickerdoodle bread batter. (Work Time: 15 minutes)

  3. Assemble the snickerdoodle bread by layering and topping the cake batter with cinnamon sugar. (Work Time: 5 minutes)

  4. Bake the snickerdoodle bread. (Bake Time: 60 minutes)
photo showing process of making snickerdoodle bread: texture of cake batter before baked
The batter should be thick, but light and fluffy.
photo showing process of making snickerdoodle bread: michelle of hummingbird high making the snickerdoodle swirl
Spread half the batter into the prepared loaf pan and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar for the swirl evenly over the batter.
photo showing process of making snickerdoodle bread: layer of snickerdoodle swirl
The cinnamon sugar should cover the batter evenly and completely, all the way up to the edges of the pan.
photo showing process of making snickerdoodle bread: michelle of hummingbird high putting the remaining batter on top of the snickerdoodle swirl
Scrape the remaining cake batter over the filling, and use the offset spatula to spread it evenly and smooth its top.
photo showing process of making snickerdoodle bread: michelle of hummingbird high sprinkling the cinnamon sugar topping on the snickerdoodle bread
Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar for the topping over the batter.
photo showing process of making snickerdoodle bread: final layer of cinnamon sugar topping on top of the cake batter before it's baked
Similar to the cinnamon sugar swirl, the cinnamon sugar topping should cover the remaining batter completely and evenly.

Recipe Troubleshooting and FAQ

FAQ: All About The Baking Equipment For The Recipe

Can I make this snickerdoodle bread in any other cake pans?

Yes! Check out this Soft and Fluffy Snickerdoodle Cake recipe for instructions on how to bake this cake in an 8-inch square pan. The post also contains instructions on how to adapt the recipe to bake in a 9-inch square pan, 8- or 9-inch round pans, and even a 9 x 13-inch rectangular pan.

FAQ: Serving and Storing The Snickerdoodle Bread

How To Store The Snickerdoodle Bread

The snickerdoodle bread can be tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Can you freeze the snickerdoodle bread?

Technically yes, but I don’t recommend it. Why? The snickerdoodle topping gets crunchy and flaky after it’s baked in the oven (similar to the sugar top of my favorite brownie recipes). If you freeze and thaw the cake, the topping will get soggy and lose its crisp!

Best Snickerdoodle Bread Recipe Tips

Here are common substitutions for the ingredients in the snickerdoodle cake recipe:

  • All-Purpose Flour. Substitute the all-purpose flour with your favorite 1-1 Gluten Free All Purpose Flour (I like the ones by Bob’s Red Mill and King Arthur Baking Company) to make the cake gluten-free!

  • Cream of Tartar. If you don’t have cream of tartar, you can replace the cream of tartar AND the baking soda in the recipe with 1 teaspoon baking powder.

  • Unsalted Butter. You can substitute the unsalted butter with salted butter without any noticeable difference in taste. You can also use vegan butter sticks to make it dairy-free (though you’ll need to swap the milk out for a plant-based option too).

  • Whole Milk. You can substitute the whole milk for 2% or skim milk (but your cake might be less flavorful). You can also use any plant-based milk to make the cake dairy free (though you’ll need to swap the butter out for a plant-based option too). Flavorful plant based milks (like coconut or oat) will make the cake taste like that flavor, too.

More Snickerdoodle Recipes

More Loaf Cake Recipes

photo of snickerdoodle bread in loaf pan with a slice of the bread on a small white plate next to it
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Get the Recipe: Incredibly Soft and Moist Snickerdoodle Bread

Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Bake Time: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 1 (9 x 5-inch) loaf cake
Author: Michelle Lopez
This snickerdoodle bread recipe makes an incredibly soft and moist loaf cake that is swirled and topped with cinnamon sugar! Like most quickbread recipes, the snickerdoodle bread is leavened with baking soda and cream of tartar—just like snickerdoodle cookies!
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Ingredients

For The Snickerdoodle Bread

  • 2 ⅓ cups (10.5 ounces or 298 grams) all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 ½ cups (10.5 ounces or 298 grams) granulated sugar
  • 1 cup (2 sticks or 8 ounces or 227 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (8 ounces or 227 grams) whole milk, at room temperature

For The Snickerdoodle Swirl

  • 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For The Snickerdoodle Topping

  • 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions
 

  • Prep your oven and pan. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray and line it with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the long sides. Spray the parchment, too.
  • Mix the dry ingredients for the snickerdoodle bread, swirl, and topping. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt for the cake.
    In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar and cinnamon for the swirl.
    In another small bowl, whisk together the sugar and cinnamon for the topping.
  • Cream the sugar and butter, then add the egg and vanilla. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar and butter. Beat on medium until light, fluffy, and doubled in volume, 3 to 4 minutes, using a rubber spatula to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl as necessary. 
    Reduce the mixer to low and add the egg and vanilla, and beat until the mixture is smooth, about 1 minute.
  • Add the dry ingredients and milk. With the mixer on low, gradually add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Beat until the last of the dry ingredients are just combined. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl once more and beat for 30 seconds.
  • Assemble the bread. Pour half the batter (around 19.20 ounces or 544 grams) into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar for the swirl evenly over the batter.
    Scrape the remaining cake batter over the filling, and use the offset spatula to spread it evenly and smooth its top. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar for the topping over the batter.
  • Bake the bread. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out with a few crumbs attached. Cool for at least 20 minutes in the pan on a wire rack before slicing.
  • Serve and store. Serve warm or at room temperature. The bread can be stored at room temperature, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, for up to 3 days.

Notes

  • The Bake Time for this recipe is listed at 60 minutes. However, start checking for doneness at 55 minutes. The best way to test for doneness is to use a wooden skewer and stick it in the direct center of the loaf. The skewer should come out with few crumbs.

    If you find that the skewer is plenty wet with batter but the top of the bread looks too browned to keep on baking, don’t panic! Simply cover the whole thing with a VERY loose sheet of aluminum foil. The aluminum foil will help prevent the top of the bread from browning further.
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating and review in the form below. I appreciate your feedback, and it helps others, too!
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Weeknight Baking:
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Over the past several years of running Hummingbird High, I kept a crucial aspect of my life hidden from my readers: I had a full-time, extremely demanding job in the tech world. In my debut cookbook, Weeknight Baking, I finally reveal the secrets to baking delicious desserts on a tight schedule.

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