Chocolate Tea Bread

If you are a fan of quick breads and chocolate, you are going to love this bread. It is fantastic!

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit(175 Celsius).
Grease and flour a 9"x5" loaf pan.

Ingredients:
1-3/4 cups flour
1 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup softened unsalted butter ( if using salted butter, omit the salt)
1-1/3 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder,baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Set aside.
In another mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar.
Beat in the vanilla extract.
One at a time, beat in the eggs.
Blend in the sour cream.
Gradually mix in the flour mixture.
Scrape the batter into the greased and floured loaf pan.
Bake for 60-70 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean when poked into the middle of the bread.
Remove from the oven and let sit for about 15 minutes.
Loosen and remove from pan and let cool on a wire rack.

Makes 1 loaf.

Pear Bread

If you have never tried pear bread, there is no time like the present. This quick bread is so moist and so yummy that you'll wonder why you haven't tried it sooner.

You will need two 9"x5" loaf pans, greased
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Ingredients:

3 eggs
1-1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup cooking oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups peeled,cored and finely chopped pears
1 teaspoon lemon juice

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, cooking oil, and vanilla extract.
Mix in the cinnamon.
Stir in the baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Mix in the flour.
Toss the pears and the lemon juice and add to the batter.
Mix well and divide batter between the 2 pans.
Bake for 55-60 minutes until the loaves test done when checked with a toothpick.
Cool in pans for 10 minutes.
Loosen and turn out onto wire racks to cool.

Makes 2 tasty loaves.

Blueberry Zucchini Bread

This quick bread is chock full of blueberries. It is also a very moist bread.
Not flavors you normally think of together. However, it works well.
Tastes great with fresh or frozen blueberries and zucchini.

You will need two 9"x5" greased loaf pans.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Ingredients:

1 cup cooking oil
3 eggs
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
2-1/4 cups sugar
2 cups shredded zucchini
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
3-1/2 to 4 cups blueberries

In a large bowl, beat together the oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and sugar.
Mix in the zucchini.
Stir in the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon.
Fold in the blueberries.
Divide the batter evenly between the two loaf pans.
Bake for an hour until the bread tests done by inserting a toothpick in the middle.
Let the breads rest for 30 minutes in the pans before loosening and turning out. If you take it out too soon, the bread will fall apart.
Let cool on a wire rack.

Makes 2 loaves.

Chocolate Banana Bread

Take one bite and you taste chocolate. Take another bite and you taste banana. Two great tastes, all in one quick bread.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Grease and flour(or use cocoa powder for coating) a 9" x 5" loaf pan.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup old fashioned oats, ground into a fine powder
1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed, ripe bananas(3-4 medium)
2 Tablespoons milk or cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium bowl,whisk together the ground oats, flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside.
In another bowl, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy.
Add the eggs, banana, milk, and vanilla extract. Beat for 2-3 minutes with a mixer until the mixture has thickened and is somewhat smooth.
Gradually add the flour mixture, beating til smooth after each addition.
Make sure to beat just until smooth. Over-beating will cause the bread to peak in the oven.
Scrape batter into the prepared loaf pan.
Bake for 45-50 minutes or til the bread passes the toothpick test.
Leave the bread in the pan for 10 minutes. Turn out onto rack to cool completely.

Makes 1 loaf.

Banana Bread

This is my all time favorite recipe for banana bread.

It is so moist which I feel is important in a quick bread.

I love making this and giving as gifts during the Christmas season.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Grease the bottom only of an 8"x4" OR 9"x5" loaf pan.

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened

2 eggs

3 or 4 medium mashed bananas to equal 1-1/2 cups

1/3 cup water

1-2/3 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup chopped nuts-optional

In a large bowl, cream the sugar and butter together.

Stir in eggs until blended well.

Add the bananas and water and beat until mixed.

Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder and stir just until everything is moist.

Stir in the nuts if you are using.

Pour into the greased loaf pan.

Bake the 8x4 loaf 1 hour 15 minutes.

Bake the 9x5 loaf 55-60 minutes.

Test done with cake tester or toothpick.

Loosen edges with a knife, but leave in pan for 5 minutes.

Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.

This recipe comes out of my very first cookbook. Thank you, Betty Crocker.