From the 1989 "Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book"

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The cinnamon-and-sugar filled Cinnamon-Swirl bread is great toasted and buttered for breakfast.

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4 3/4 to 5 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 package active dry yeast
1 1/3 cups milk
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons margarine or butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs

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Combine 2 cups of the flour and the yeast. In a saucepan heat and stir milk, sugar, margarine or butter, and salt till warm (120 - 130 degrees Fahrenheit) and margarine almost melts. Add to flour mixture along with eggs. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Using a spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (6 to 8 minutes total). Shape into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl; turn once to grease surface. Cover and let rise in a warm place till double (about 60 minutes).

Punch dough down. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide in half. Cover and let rest 10 minutes. Lightly grease two 8x4x2 inch loaf pans. Shape each half of the dough into a loaf. Place in pans. Cover and let rise till almost double (about 30 minutes). Bake in a 375 degree Fahrenheit oven for 25 to 30 minutes or till done. Cover loosely the last 10 to 15 minutes of baking, if necessary. Remove from pans; cool. Makes 2 loaves. (32 servings.)

Raisin Egg-Bread Braid:

Prepare as above, except add 2 cups raisins when stirring in flour with a spoon. (If desired, first plump the raisins by covering them with water in a saucepan. Bring to boiling. Remove from heat, and let stand for 4 minutes. Drain.... this is highly recommended for plump, tender raisins!!.... DH)

When dough is punched down after first rising, turn out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into six equal portions. Cover with towel; let rest 10 minutes. Roll each portion into a ball. Roll each ball into an evenly thick rope about 16 inches long. Line up three of the ropes, 1 inch apart, on a greased baking sheet. Starting in the middle, braid by bringing left rope underneath center rope, lay it down. Then bring right rope under new center rope; lay it down. Repeat to the end. On the other end, braid by bringing outside ropes alternately over center rope to center. (Braid the ropes loosely so the bread has room to expand.) Press rope ends together to seal. Repeat braiding with remaining three ropes. Let rise and bake as shown in the above Egg Bread recipe.

Cinnamon-Swirl Egg Bread
Dawn’s notes: I stir in 2 cups of plumped raisins when stirring in the remaining flour in this recipe, for "Cinnamon-Raisin Egg Bread."

Prepare Egg Bread as above, except, instead of shaping into loaves, on a lightly floured surface, roll each half of dough into a 12x7-inch rectangle. Brush lightly with water. Combine 1/2 cup sugar and 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon. Sprinkle half of the sugar-cinnamon mixture over each rectangle. Roll up firmly from one of the short sides. Seal edge and ends. Place, seam-side down, in greased loaf pans. Let rise and bake as shown in the above Egg Bread recipe.

"Don't forget the icing!!!"

Powdered Sugar Icing

1 cup sifted powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon or so, milk or orange juice

Mix powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk or juice 1 teaspoon at a time, till of drizzling consistency. Makes 1/2 cup or enough to drizzle over two loaves of bread.

Enjoy!! This is my favorite bread recipe!! Good comfort food.
-Dawn