How to Make Cake Bread

Cake breads are also known as quick breads, but due to the large proportion of sugar in them, they have the consistency of cake. A slice of cake bread can be served for breakfast or as a snack with coffee or tea. This cake bread recipe will not even need icing because it is sweet enough without it. Another possibility is to serve a slice with jam and butter as you would bread. Since it straddles the line between a dessert and bread, cake bread can be served in many ways.

Things You'll Need

• 1 8-inch by 4-inch loaf pan Cooking spray or parchment paper Large mixing bowl (8 cup capacity or larger) Mixer (hand or stand) 1/4 cup butter 1/3 cup brown sugar (tightly packed) 1 egg, lightly beaten 2 tsp. vanilla extract 2 Small mixing bowls (about 3 c. capacity each) 1 tbsp. sour cream 2 tbsp. milk 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. baking powder 1 cup all purpose flour (See tip) 1/4 tsp. salt 1 tsp. cinnamon, ground (optional) 1/4 tsp. cloves, ground (optional) 1/4 tsp. nutmeg, ground (optional) Large mixing spoon 1 c. diced fruit (apples, pears, raisins bananas, etc) (optional) Knife or skewer Cooling rack

Instructions

1. Line the inside of the loaf pan with parchment paper or spray the inside with cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Place the butter and brown sugar into the mixing bowl, and cream together with the mixer for five minutes on high speed. The mixture should look smooth and not grainy.

3. Turn the mixer onto low speed and beat the egg and vanilla extract into the creamed butter and sugar until thoroughly incorporated.

4. Mix the sour cream and milk together in one small bowl. Set aside.

5. Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices (if using) and salt in another small bowl.

6. Turn the mixer onto low speed and mix 1/4 cup of the dry flour mixture into the bowl. Mix until incorporated. Add a spoonful of the milk mixture and continue to beat until that has been mixed in.

7. Continue to alternate adding the dry ingredients by 1/4 cup amounts and the milk mixture by spoonfuls until everything has been mixed into the batter. You should have a stiff batter that can still be stirred with a spoon. See tips.

8. Stir the chopped fruit into the batter with a spoon. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.

9. Bake the cake bread in the oven at 350 degrees for 40 to 60 minutes or until a skewer or knife inserted into the center comes out cleanly. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Turn the cake bread upside down onto a cooling rack to cool completely before serving.

Tips & Warnings

• You can replace half of the all purpose flour with whole wheat flour if desired. If the batter is too dry, add milk by spoonfuls until the desired consistency is reached. Add spoonfuls of flour if the batter is too wet.

References

• Apple Coffee Cake Bread Recipe