Chocolate Chai Mini Loaves

2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons instant chai latte mix
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour cream
 
Frosting:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1 tablespoon instant chai latte mix
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 to 5 teaspoons 2% milk
 
Heat oven to 350° F. Grease 3 5 3/4x3x2-inch loaf pans.
 
In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave chocolate with the water until chocolate is melted; stir until smooth. Cool slightly.
 
In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla, then chocolate mixture.
 
Combine the flour, latte mix, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream.
 
Transfer to 3 loaf pans. Bake at for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to a wire rack to cool completely.
 
For frosting, combine the confectioners' sugar, butter, latte mix, vanilla and enough milk to achieve desired consistency. Frost tops of loaves.
 
From Taste of Home blog

Honey Spice Bread

2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup 2% milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup canola oil
 
Glaze:
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons 2% milk
 
Heat oven to 325° F. Grease an 8x4-inch loaf pan. 

In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar and milk. Cook and stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat.

In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. In another bowl, whisk eggs, honey, oil and brown sugar mixture until blended. Add to flour mixture; stir just until moistened.

Transfer the batter to pan. Bake 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (cover top loosely with foil if needed to prevent overbrowning).

Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. In a small bowl, stir glaze ingredients until smooth; drizzle over bread.

From Taste of Home blog

Ukrainian Honey Cake

2 large eggs, at room temperature, separated

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup honey

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup strong brewed coffee, cooled to lukewarm

Set rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350 F.  Butter a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan, then dust it with flour.

Beat the egg yolks and sugar until pale and smooth.  Add the honey and melted butter and mix until blended and smooth.

Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl.  Add half the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and stir in.  Stir in the coffee, then stir in the remaining dry ingredients.

Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.  Fold them into the batter, then stir gently several times.  The batter will be quite wet.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.  Let cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and place on a rack to cool completely before slicing.  Eat plain or buttered, or with whipped cream.

Makes 1 loaf.

From The Wednesday Chef blog

Buttermilk Cornbread

1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 375 F.  Grease an 8-inch square pan, unless planning to bake the cornbread in a skillet.

Melt butter in a large skillet or pan.  Remove from heat and stir in sugar.  Quickly add eggs and beat until well-blended.  Combine buttermilk with baking soda and stir into the mixture in the pan.  Stir in cornmeal, flour, and salt until well-blended a few lumps remain.  Pour batter into the prepared pan (or bake in the skillet).

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

From AllRecipes.com.

Quick Lemon Bread

Bread:

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

3/4 cup buttermilk or yogurt

1/2 teaspoon lemon oil OR 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

2 large eggs

Glaze:

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup sugar

Heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan.

Mix the buttermilk or yogurt with the lemon juice and lemon oil, and set aside.

Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt, and set aside.

Beat together the butter and sugar until combined.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture alternately with the buttermilk mixture.  

Pour into the pan, and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Make the glaze: While the bread is baking, whisk together the glaze ingredients to dissolve the sugar.

Remove the bread from the oven, and poke it all over with a cake tester, skewer, or other long, thin tool.  While the loaf is hot, drizzle it gradually with the glaze, stopping periodically to allow it to soak in.  Set it aside, and let it cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove the bread from the pan, and allow it to cool completely before slicing.  The bread will keep for 5 days on the counter, covered.  Freeze for up to 3 months.

Makes one 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf.

From King Arthur Flour 

Jayanthi's Banana Bread

3 small or 2 regular mashed very ripe bananas
2 eggs
1 scant cup sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour 
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup oil

Heat oven to 325°F.  Grease a loaf pan.

Mix all ingredients together.  Pour mixture into greased pan. Bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.


Makes 1 loaf.

Notes:

Can also add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the following spice mixture:

4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Can also add 1 cup of chocolate chunks or chips

Banana-Coconut Bread

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs at room temperature for 30 minutes
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups coarsely mashed very ripe bananas (3)
1 can coconut milk
1/2 cup shredded coconut
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/3 cups sliced or chopped almonds

Heat oven to 350°F.  Butter 2 8x4x2-inch metal loaf pans, then dust with flour, knocking out excess.

Sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a bowl.

Beat together eggs and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer at medium-high speed until very thick and pale and mixture forms a ribbon when the beater is lifted, about 10 minutes.  Reduce speed to low and add oil and melted butter in a slow stream, mixing, then mix in bananas, coconut milk, coconut, and vanilla.  Remove bowl from mixer and fold in flour mixture and almonds gently but thoroughly.

Divide batter between loaf pans, spreading evenly, and bake in middle of oven until golden brown and a wooden pick or skewer comes out clean, 1 to 1 1/4 hours.

Cool loaves in pans on a rack for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack.  Turn loaves right side up and cool completely.

Banana bread keeps, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature for 2 days or frozen for 1 month.


From Epicurious/Gourmet, with quite a few changes

Johnny Cake (Cornbread)

3/4 cup cornmeal

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

1 egg, well-beaten

2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

Heat the oven to 425°F.  Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.

Mix together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Add the milk, egg, and butter and stir just to blend.

Pour the batter into the greased pan.  Bake about 20 minutes.

From The King Arthur Flour 200^th Anniversary Cookbook by Brinna B. Sands