Crazy Good Cinnamon Quick-ish Bread

 This bread is a cross between a typical baking powder-leavened quick bread, and a yeast bread.  It doesn't exactly rise, but it does need to rest an hour before baking. 

If you don't have cinnamon chips, or can't find them, I recommend just biting the bullet and ordering a couple bags from King Arthur Flour.  You can use them in anything, from cookies to bread to pancakes, and they make everything better.  Plus you should always stock up in the winter so they won't melt en route and you don't have to pay the extra freezer-pack shipping; nature pays it for you.

 We made these loaves for some old ladies with dental and dietary restrictions that Ed visits.  The bread is sweet, but not hard to chew, no chocolate or nuts, and, being partly yeasted, very good toasted, I am told.  And cinnamon is always a winning flavor with kids, at least around here. 

Cinnamon Bread (print recipe)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp instant yeast
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup warm milk
1/4 cup melted butter
1 large egg
1 cup cinnamon chips
Cinnamon-sugar, for topping

1.  In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, yeast, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder.

2.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, butter, and egg.

3.  Combine the wet and dry ingredients, beating until smooth.

4.  Stir in the cinnamon chips.  Let the batter rest at room temperature for 1 hour, covered.  Towards the end of the rest, preheat the oven to 350.

5.  Spoon the batter into a greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 loaf pan (I used three mini loaf pans.)  Sprinkle the top with cinnamon sugar.

6.  Bake the bread for 35 to 40 minutes (25 to 35 for mini loaves), until it tests done.

7.  Remove bread from oven, let it rest in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.  Don't slice the bread while it's hot!  Allow to cool completely.  Makes 1 loaf (or 3 minis).

Recipe from King Arthur Flour

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

 Yes, yes, yes, it's another banana recipe.  You know I can't get enough of them.  But it has been awhile since I posted one.

My kids love chocolate chips thrown into most muffins and breads.  And I am happy to oblige.  Why not?  Especially with these - hello, whole wheat flour!  Whole wheat flour, and cinnamon chips (optional but amazing!), and chocolate chips and either rum or coconut extract?!  So awesome.  Either one adds a very subtle but yummo flavor everyone you know will love. 

 Put these in your "no fail" folder, your "crowd pleaser" bookmark.  Always, always, always a hit.  Perfect in any season, for any occasion.  So delicious.  And that's all I have to say about that.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins (print recipe)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup mashed bananas, about 2 medium
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 to 1/4 butter rum or coconut flavor, optional
1/3 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat or white whole wheat flour
3/4 cup chocolate chips
1 cup chopped toasted walnuts or pecans, optional
1 cup cinnamon chips, optional

1.  Preheat the oven to 350.  Lightly grease 12 to 14 standard muffin cups.

2.  Beat the butter and sugar until smooth.  Beat in the banana, then the egg, flavorings, and milk.  Add the baking powder, baking soda, salt and flours, stirring until smooth.  Stir in the chocolate chips, nuts and cinnamon chips.

3.  Heap the thick batter into the prepared muffin cups, mounding them quite full; you'll make 14 muffins if you've used all three add-ins.  Bake the muffins 20 to 23 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.  Remove the muffins from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack to cool.  Makes 12 to 14 muffins.

Recipe from King Arthur Flour

Banana After-School Cake

Here's a picture of all my cookbooks. I mean, it's not bad. Only two shelves. But as you can see there is no extra space. So out of necessity I am very discriminating about acquiring new cookbooks. They have to be either very worthwhile, or they have to be obscenely cheap. I am a sucker for a bargain.

So when I was at Border's last week, and everything was 70% off (or more) for their last 10 days, I gave the cookbook section a look-see. I knew it would be picked over, and it was. But sometimes that's how you find the gems. So when I found Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey Treats for Kids by Jill O'Connor (list price $19.95, Amazon price $9.43) for a whoppin' $1.60, I took the plunge. It was so cute looking, so inviting. I did flip through quickly, to make sure there was at least one interesting recipe, and I found at least five on one skim - sold! Sometimes "treats for kids" books are full of lame shortcuts and store bought frosting, so I just wanted to make sure these were real recipes. Oh, yes, I lucked out.

So on a recent afternoon when Ginger said she was bored and couldn't wait for Hazel to come home, I said, "Let's make a snack!" It was rainy and unseasonably cool, and a perfect warm-comfort-food day. So I took a quick inventory - browning bananas - and remembered something banana-y from SCMGTfK. Just so happens she calls it "Banana Montana After-School Cake." Perfect. I left out the "Montana" for obvious reasons.

But despite the book's title, Ginger and I found this cake...a bit too plain. So we added cinnamon chips. And chocolate chips. And heck, a few marshmallows. You know. And it was awesome. And we ate it for after-school snack the rest of the week. The End.Banana After-School Cake (print recipe)
1 3/4 cups cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup mashed very ripe banana (about 3)
1/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup diced toasted pecans, optional
A couple 4-yr-old-size handfuls of cinnamon chips and/or mini chocolate chips, optional

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Spray a 9-inch square cake pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. In a separate bowl, combine the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Using an electric mixer set at medium, beat together until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then beat in the vanilla, bananas, and buttermilk, just until combined.

4. With the mixer set at low speed, beat the flour mixture into the banana batter, in two additions, just until combined. Do not overbeat the batter. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the pecans and/or chips if using.

5. Spread the batter into the prepared pan in an even layer and bake until firm and golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 40 to 50 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar and cut into squares. Serve warm.Recipe adapted from Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey Treats for Kids by Jill O'Connor

"Simply Sinful" Cinnamon Muffins

I'm pretty sure I don't have to say much about these. Pretty much the ultimate cinnamon muffin here, and everyone loves cinnamon. Or should. The recipe comes from King Arthur Flour, a recipe for using it's Baker's Cinnamon Filling Mix, but I just used the butter-sugar-cinnamon substitution and they were AMAZING. Then I started reading some of the reviews of the cinnamon filling mix...and I'm pretty sure I'm gonna have to get me somma dat. Can you imagine all the nosh-worthy things a high quality cinnamon filling could go in? Dang. Simply sinful. (Like these muffins...)
Simply Sinful Cinnamon Muffins (print recipe)
Topping
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup diced pecans
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
3 tablespoons soft butter

Filling
1/2 cup King Arthur Baker's Cinnamon Filling mix*
3 to 4 tablespoons water*

*Or substitute 3 tablespoons butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon for the Baker's Cinnamon Filling mix and water, which is what I did.

Batter
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
3/4 cup milk
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
2 tablespoons Signature Secrets(r) Culinary Thickener or cornstarch
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup cinnamon chips or butterscotch chips
1. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake papers, or grease it lightly.

2. Prepare the topping by mixing the ingredients together until crumbly. Set aside.

3. Prepare the filling by mixing the Baker's Cinnamon Filling with enough water to make filling with a soft, pudding-like consistency. Set it aside. (Or make the filling substitute.)

4. To make the batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, milk, and eggs. In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, including the chips. Add the dry mixture to the liquid, stirring just until combined.

5. Divide half the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Dollop 2 teaspoons cinnamon filling onto each muffin, then top with the remaining batter. Sprinkle with topping, pressing it in lightly.

6. Bake the muffins for 20 to 25 minutes, or until they're golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and wait 5 minutes before transferring them from the pan to a rack to cool. Makes 12 muffins
Recipe from King Arthur Flour

Blueberry Crumble Loaf

When my brother came to visit us in May (from England), he brought a load of goodie gifts - chocolate, hard candy, and for me, a cookbook - always the perfect gift. He brought me Cake Days, the house cookbook of The Hummingbird Bakery in London. First of all, that is the most adorable bakery name I've ever heard. Second, the cookbook is gorgeous! Third, like with all new cookbooks I am slowly working my way through and making lists of all the delights I can't wait to try, like Blood Orange Cheesecake, Pistachio Whoopie Pies, and Sticky Toffee Cupcakes. For real.

The first thing I tried was Lemonade Cupcakes. Those will be showing up during Lemonade Week, later this month. Second, for a summery Sunday dessert, we made this Blueberry Crumble Loaf.
Sweet, sturdy vanilla cake with fresh, local berries that cannot be beat. A crumble topping is Hummingbird's favorite, and who can argue this one, with brown sugar, pecans and cinnamon. Feel free to try it with raspberries or blackberries instead!
*All measurements were given in grams and ounces - I weighed, then measured, and give you the American measurements.

Blueberry Crumble Loaf (print recipe)
Cake:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 cup plus 6 T all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 ounce whole milk
3/4 cups fresh or frozen (defrosted) blueberries
1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Crumble Topping:
3 T all-purpose flour
1 T unsalted butter
1 T soft light brown sugar
1/4 cup pecans, chopped
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 325. Grease a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan with butter and dust with flour.

2. First make the crumble topping. In a bowl, rub the flour and butter together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Stir in the remaining ingredients and then set aside.

3. Next make the cake. Using an electric mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Break the eggs in one at a time, mixing well, on medium speed, after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl to make sure every bit of the mixture is incorporated.

4. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon, then add in three stages to the creamed butter and eggs, pouring in the milk after the second batch has been added. Mix well on medium speed after each addition, scraping down the sides of the bowl once again to ensure all the ingredients are incorporated.

5. Increase the speed to medium to high and continue mixing until the batter is smooth and even, then add the blueberries and chopped pecans, stirring them into the batter by hand and making sure they are evenly distributed. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and sprinkle the crumble mixture over the top.

6. Bake in the oven for 50-60 minutes or until the sponge feels firm and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean, with no cake batter sticking to it. Allow the loaf to cool a little before turning it out of the pan on a wire rack to cool completely, then cut into slices and serve.

Recipe from Cake Days: Recipes to Make Every Day Special from The Hummingbird Bakery

1 year ago: Foccacia
2 years ago: Blueberry Fool

Zucchini & Carrot Muffins

Honestly, I really do post something healthy-ish once in awhile! It's just been...awhile. But these have 4 cups of shredded veggies, and if you do the math (stay with me), that's 12 muffins, which means 1/3 cup of veggies in each muffin! Healthy! Wheat flour, flax seed - healthy(-ish)!

My 6-year-old said that even though they have vegetables and "look a little bit gross", they "taste like sugar", which is her stamp of approval.

And listen to this. There were genuine tears when these were gone, and begging for me to make more. That almost never happens, even with the most delicious desserts! So I pulled out my last zucchini and the bag of carrots and whipped up another batch. And then a few days later, more begging! Are you kidding? I will make these for the kids ANYTIME they want. So stow this away for the summer's bounty, or better yet, share some with me so we can all have lots and lots of muffins.

*Bummer about the pictures - they were either too golden with sunshine or too blue in the shadows and I was too lazy to get my light out. You get the gist.

Zucchini & Carrot Muffins (print recipe)

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp salt

2 large eggs

2 cups grated zucchini (about 1 large or 2 small)

2 cups grated carrots (about 4 medium)

1/2 cup dried pineapple or cinnamon chips

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1 3/4 cups King Arthur 100% White Whole Wheat Flour

1/4 cup ground flax seed (also called flax meal)

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp ground cinnamon Coarse sugar, optional

1. Preheat oven to 375°F; Line 12 cups of a standard muffin tin with papers, or grease each cup.

2. Whisk together the sugar, oil, salt and eggs.

3. Add the zucchini, carrots, dried fruit (or cinnamon chips) and nuts.

4. Whisk together the remaining ingredients in a separate bowl, then add to the batter. Stir till just combined.

5. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Let the muffins rest for 10 minutes before placing them in the oven. Sprinkle each with coarse sugar, if desired (it makes a nice crunchy top.)

6. Bake the muffins until the edges are lightly browned and they feel firm if gently pressed, about 18 to 25 minutes. A cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin should come out clean.

7. Remove the muffins from the oven, and cool them in the pan for 10 minutes; transfer to a rack, and cool completely. Makes 12 muffins

Recipe from the King Arthur Flour website