Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread

Preheat oven to 375F.

Heat the milk and water to 110-115F. Cut butter into chunks and add it to the milk mixture and stir until the butter is melted. Add the mashed potatoes and cool to lukewarm

Mix together 3 1/2 cups flour, 1/4 cup of sugar and the salt and yeast in the bowl of a mixer with your dough hook attached. Add the milk/butter mixture and mix until smooth.

Stir in the raisins and mix to incorporate. Gradually add the remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time until all is incorporated. The dough will be stiff. Dump it out onto a floured surface and continue to knead the dough until smooth and elastic (like a baby’s bottom). This should take around 8 minutes. Then place dough in a large, greased bowl, cover with a damp towel and let rise in a draft free place for 1.5 hours until double in bulk.

Mix 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon together and set aside. Remove dough from bowl, cut in half. Roll one half of dough out to 8×16 inch rectangle, sprinkle with half the sugar mixture. From narrow side roll up jellyroll fashion, pinch edges together and place in greased loaf pan. Repeat for other piece of dough. Let loaves rise 1 hour in a draft free place.

Brush tops of loaves with 4 tablespoons of melted butter and bake on middle rack of oven for 35 to 40 minutes.

Loaf is done when you hear a hollow sound when you tap the bottom of the loaf.