Buttermilk Cinnamon Bread

I've had Grace on my mind today. Grace from A Southern Grace that is. She's the biggest cinnamonaholic I've ever heard of and my entire house is smelling of cinnamon at the moment. She'd be in heaven. 

Recently I read someone's post about leftover buttermilk and how she was always madly searching for recipes to use it up. So true. I've had some in the fridge for three weeks and have been debating dumping it. I've used it in several recipes...but today almost threw it out. But then Pinterest came along and there was this recipe for cinnamon bread made with buttermilk.....
Oh my.

Buttermilk Cinnamon Bread
From Taste of Home (Originally published as Buttermilk Cinnamon Bread in Quick Cooking May/June 1998, p19)

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1  tablespoon finely chopped walnuts or pecans

Method:
Preheat oven to 350.
Butter two small loaf pans and then sprinkle with bread crumbs. Tap out the excess.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a small bowl, combine oil and 3/4 cup sugar. Add buttermilk and eggs; mix well. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. 

Combine cinnamon and remaining sugar; distribute about 1/3 of the batter in the pans, then sprinkle half the cinnamon/sugar mixture on top. Top with remaining batter and cinnamon-sugar. Swirl batter with a knife. Sprinkle with nuts.
Bake at 350° for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing to wire racks.

A hint: the bread is very crusty on top. You'll find it cuts easier after refrigerating. I find that with most sweet breads, actually.