I know without question I cannot bake and cook at the same time. Disaster awaits. Or at the very least, serious unhappiness. There must be either a baking morning and a cooking afternoon or some variation thereof. This doesn’t mean I won’t stir up a pan of cornbread while my beans finish cooking at 5:30 or that I’d refuse to bake cookies if the slow cooker was on. No, no, no–not at all. But it does mean I shouldn’t be chopping and adding ingredients to a soup and think I can also whip up a loaf or two of quick bread in the the short minutes between soup chores. Because if I do, the bread will be missing its cinnamon, for instance, or in this case, its very necessary salt. And I might serve the soup without making sure all of its ingredients were just as tender as they should be. Which I did — and sent it to ill neighbors like that. (I hope the carrots weren’t crunchy. God, Alyce.)

Jump to Recipe

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So my first trial run with this bread ended in saltless loaves I expected to throw into the back forty for the deer, but upon tasting it, Dave, my husband, and I were pleasantly surprised. It might have lacked a certain je ne sais quoi (I don’t know what), but it ate just fine with a thick schmear of salty butter. That didn’t stop me from baking it all over again this morning just to make sure I got it right nor from wondering if I’d, as my friend Kyndra suggested, market the first try as a “hypertension tea loaf!” (While we call these loaves “quick breads” these days, they were formerly and endearingly named “tea breads” or “tea loaves.” I like the old nomenclature better as it more accurately says what the baked good is, whereas quick breads can be anything from cornbread or biscuits to banana bread or coffeecake–nearly anything baked without yeast.)

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Even for non-bakers or interested kiddos, a quick bread like this is perfect for December. One loaf for you and one loaf to give away or wrap to store in the freezer for Christmas morning. Try this:

TIPS:

CHANGE IT UP:

• Add a glaze or icing. Gild that lily!! I’m thinking lemon or maple.
• LEMON GLAZE
• MAPLE GLAZE

• See Cook’s Notes and add pepitas on top.
• Stir in 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips or chopped chocolate.
• Use walnuts or hazelnuts in place of pecans.
• Sub raisins or dried cherries for the fresh cranberries (Measure 3/4 cup and cover them with boiling water. Let rest 10 minutes. Drain and stir into batter at the end.)
• Replace 1 cup of all purpose unbleached flour with whole wheat flour.
• Add 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves for increased heat and spicy profile.

Why do quick breads always say “mix until just barely combined?” Because if you over mix the batter, you’ll have a tough product. For a tender crumb, go easy on the mixing. Read up here.

How to Measure Flour/KING ARTHUR BAKING

REDUCING WASTE:

• Store plain nuts in the freezer. Always.
• Small household? Cut these loaves in half if you’re not giving as gifts. Double wrap (first in plastic and then in foil) and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight on counter before unwrapping and slicing/serving.
• Cranberries freeze perfectly. Measure out what you need for muffins or bread or sauce and leave the rest in the freezer.
• Buy applesauce in the individual serving cups.
• Don’t keep fresh milk in the house? Store a can or two of evaporated milk in your cupboard for when you need it. This bread works fine with canned milk.

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If you liked this, you might also like my Banana-Zucchini Bread with Chocolate Chips, my Pumpkin-Chocolate Chip Bread, my Blueberry-Banana Bread, or my Banana-Cranberry Bread with White Chocolate Chips.

LIFE GOES ON:

I appreciate your keeping me company in the kitchen. Keep an eye out for this year’s Christmas cookie.

Be well and bake on,

Alyce