Creating Swirl without Overmixing

The key to achieving beautiful cinnamon swirls without tough cake lies in proper layering and swirling technique. Drop the cinnamon-butter mixture in evenly spaced dollops across the surface, then use a knife or skewer to create figure-8 patterns rather than random swirls. Make only 6-8 deliberate passes through the batter - overmixing develops gluten and creates dense texture. The goal is distinct ribbons of cinnamon mixture throughout, not complete integration. Some marbling should remain visible on top after baking.