Diary of an Inconsistent Cook #20: Tamper Proof Buttermilk/Yogurt Quick Bread (Kid Friendly)

I had thought to get the Pimp My Dinner up first (it will be forthcoming), but yesterday I just had to throw the kids some leftover beans and bread. Sometimes that’s only as far as the cooking gets on some days. I think the regular readers around here are used to the randomness of the subjects that get posted!

I do have something wonderfully fool-proof to share. I’ve been using this recipe for a year and while I have occasionally produced something with a bit of bitterness because of mismeasurements, it has never been an inedible disaster. Even my husband has said, “Yum” a time or two. I discovered the recipe about a year ago when I was on one of my research tangents. It is from the Kitchn — How to Make Buttermilk Quick Bread with Ten Variations. Visit the link for all of the wonderful options from banana bread to savory cheesy bread (it has a nice print option and the pictures are also way better than mine).

The taste is very pleasant. It has the mild taste of regular bread, but the texture of a muffin. Very interesting!

I made the batter too wet this time. My youngest sous chef caught me red handed and I added too much liquid in my haste.

Recipe with my Tampering

2 cups (10 oz) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (4 oz) white sugar (I have used as little as 1/4 cup and brown sugar with banana)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (8 oz) buttermilk (I have also used: yogurt, whey, dry buttermilk, milk + vinegar/lemon, orange juice, apple juice)
1 large egg
1/4 cup (2 oz) unsalted butter, olive oil, or vegetable oil (salted butter also works just reduce or eliminate additional salt)

The original website also has a list of very quick and easy variations on this very basic batter.

I line with parchment or wax paper because I hate cleaning or trying to wrestle the bread out.

It takes about five minutes to put it all together and 50 minutes to bake at 350F. Now this is supposed to use the “muffin method” where you mix the wet and dry separately then add the wet to dry. Yeah, that doesn’t always happen (not just because of the kids either). However, it till turns out well as long as the egg is thoroughly mixed in. This one even survived the extra liquid though it was more crumbly than usual. To be honest, I have done some horrible things to this recipe and it comes back fighting.

Quick. Simple. Delicious.

While this takes longer to bake than muffins, it is different and goes well plain, with butter or jam, or as a sponge to mop up soup, stew, or chili. The kids will just often run off with them plain. I encourage you to try it. If you have kids, you can let them mix it themselves.

Did you try this recipe? Do you like it as much as I do? Link back and share (especially if you mess up)!