Loaves + Quickbreads Archives | The Vanilla Bean Blog

Easy, Moist Chocolate Bread

Sarah Kieffer — Sun, 13 Jul 2025 14:40:25 +0000

I have chocolate cake in many forms on this website: The Chocolate Cake and my Easy One-Layer Afternoon Cake, just to name a few. However, we all know that there is always room for yet another chocolate cake recipe, so here is another one, this time in loaf form. A chocolate cake baked in a loaf pan strikes the perfect balance between rich, cake-like indulgence and the comforting structure of a classic quick bread. The tall sides of the pan allow the batter to bake evenly, creating a tender crumb with just the right amount of density to make each slice satisfying. There is a soft, almost fudgy center with slightly crisp edges, and the added chopped chocolate melt into little pockets of pure bliss. It’s the kind of treat that feels both cozy and luxurious—perfect with a cup of coffee or as a late-night bite. One cup of hot coffee is added to the bowl. Many chocolate cake recipes include hot coffee or water, and for good reason. As the coffee is gently stirred in, the batter turns into an unpromising dark sludge, but bakes up into a moist, delicious loaf cake. Different coffee roasts can add a slightly […]

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Ginger Orange Carrot Quick Bread

Sarah Kieffer — Thu, 11 May 2023 19:09:11 +0000

What I love about this recipe: This Ginger Orange Carrot Bread is a new recipe from 100 Morning Treats, my fourth cookbook that was just released. The flavors of ginger and orange are faint, but their subtleness makes this bread shine, pairing with naturally sweet fresh carrots. Orange zest and triple sec give it a lovely brightness, too. This loaf stays moist for days, and I actually prefer it on the second and third days; the flavor develops and it becomes more tender. Baking With Nordic Ware Pans Over the last decade of baking, I’ve come to rely on Nordic Ware for almost all my baking pans. Their pans are not only beautiful, but durable and well-made. For my 100 Cookies cookbook, I relied on their Naturals® baking sheets for many of my recipes, and my last two books have incorporated more of their other pans: The Naturals® muffin pans, Bundt pans, and Popover pans were all used and loved. For my Ginger Orange Carrot Bread, I used the ProCast Classic Loaf Pan, which has a 6 cup (1 lb loaf) capacity. This pan is made from heavy cast aluminum, which ensures that both quick and yeasted breads bake evenly. This pan also has […]

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Pumpkin Spice Bread with Cream Cheese Icing

Sarah Kieffer — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 00:12:04 +0000

One of my favorite holiday treats is pumpkin spice bread and I make quite a few loaves every year, some for giving, some for keeping. This version comes from Michelle Lopez’s new cookbook, Weeknight Baking. It’s based on a recipe from the Tartine: A Classic Revisited cookbook, and it is quite delicious. Michelle makes hers with granulated sugar sprinkled on top instead of the cream cheese icing, but I couldn’t resist piling it high with frosting. I highly recommend checking out Michelle’s new book; it focuses on recipes that come together quickly, use ingredients found in your baker’s pantry, and store well. Some more recipes from the book I can’t wait to try: better-than-supernatural fudge brownies, the silkiest pumpkin pie, overnight liege waffles, and cheesecake bars (you can find them laced with pumpkin filling over on Zoe’s website). *********************************** Pumpkin Spice Bread with Cream Cheese IcingFrom Weeknight Baking by Michelle Lopez Notes: I always bake my quick breads in a Pullman pan without the lid on – I prefer their tall sides for both protection against batter leaking and aesthetics. However, a 9 x 5 pan will also work. If you would rather top the pumpkin spice bread with sugar instead […]

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Honey & Toasted Walnut Bread with Icing

Sarah Kieffer — Fri, 07 Jun 2019 03:46:05 +0000

I’m a big fan of quick bread, and most often turn to pumpkin or banana when whipping up a loaf. However, I wanted another variation in my usual rotation, so I came up with this honey walnut bread. It is a delicious change of pace, and perfect for those in-between spring days, when citrus is fleeting and we are anxiously awaiting on berries. ********************************************************** A few things: *If you are a Minneapolis reader, I highly recommend checking out this documentary on one of my favorite bands, Luxury. It’s the story of their almost rise to fame and then tragic van accident while on tour, which changed the course of their lives. *I started an Amazon storefront with all my favorite kitchen essentials and whatnot, but I also have a section for my favorite cookbooks and books I love or am currently reading, if you are interested in that; I am always updating it. More Quick bread Recipes:

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Chocolate Orange Scone Loaf

Sarah Kieffer — Sun, 09 Oct 2016 13:33:56 +0000

As someone slightly obsessed with scones, you can imagine my delight flipping through Molly’s new cookbook only to discover this take on my favorite breakfast. A scone loaf? Of course! Why didn’t I think of this years ago? I’ve adapted her recipe slightly, turning chocolate marzipan into chocolate orange, one of my favorite scone combinations. I met Molly for the first time several years ago in Las Vegas of all places, and liked her immediately. Warm, kind, hilarious, and genuine are all words that belong to her. I’ve eagerly awaited her new cookbook, and am happy to report it is lovely, with unique recipes, stories worth curling up with (I’m a cookbook-as-novel type person), and photographs that capture her engaging personality perfectly. More Scone Recipes: Pumpkin Scones with Maple Glaze Ginger Chocolate Chip Scones Lemon White Chocolate Scones

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Iced Lemon Almond Bread

Sarah Kieffer — Mon, 22 Jun 2015 14:48:44 +0000

Happy Monday, dear readers. I woke up this morning to thunder, lightning, and two littles climbing in my bed, sort of scared but mostly using the storm as an excuse to play games on my iPad. Yesterday was 85 and sunny — our first perfect summer day, filled with a family BBQ, swimming, and so much laughing I’m still smiling. Autumn may be my favorite season, but summer is just the best. This lemon almond bread was also a nice way to start the day, with a light lemon flavor and the perfect fluffy-but-not-too-fluffy texture that made each bite a good reason to be out of bed, even on a Monday. Next time I might stir some blackberries or raspberries in to celebrate July’s sort-lived seasonal fruits. This delicious bread comes from Cheryl Sterman Rule‘s new book, Yogurt Culture. I’m really loving this cookbook — so many great recipes involving all types of yogurt, from slightly complex (making your own yogurt) to very easy (coffee yogurt and simple compotes) to everything in-between: cardamom pancakes, artichoke-almond soup, labneh-stuffed peppers, creamy pasta marinara, and salted caramel panna cotta, just to name a few. I’m glad to have this book on my shelf. […]

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Autumn Harvest Breakfast Bread

Sarah Kieffer — Thu, 16 Oct 2014 02:53:37 +0000

Nature’s first green is gold, Her hardest hue to hold. Her early leaf’s a flower; But only so an hour. Then leaf subsides to leaf. So Eden sank to grief, So dawn goes down to day. Nothing gold can stay. -Robert Frost, “Nothing Gold Can Stay” This Autumn Breakfast Bread is from Amanda Paa’s new book Smitten With Squash. It’s a lovely little book, celebrating that underappreciated vegetable, with knowledgeable tips and creative recipes. I’m giving away one copy of her book – leave your name and email in the comment section to enter. Autumn Harvest Breakfast Bread from Smitten With Squash by Amanda Kay Paa I couldn’t hunt down a red kuri squash, so I substituted canned pumpkin. This bread is extra delicious warm. 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted slightly and whisked to a creamy texture 1/3 cup white sugar 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar 2 large eggs 3/4 cup red kuri squash puree (or canned pumpkin) 1 cup mashed, very ripe bananas (about 2-3 medium bananas) 2 tablespoons dark rum 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons cinnamon […]

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maple oatmeal bread with cacao nibs and raspberry cream cheese

Sarah Kieffer — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 08:25:00 +0000

Lately I’ve been rocking a well-worn copy of Molly Katzen‘s The Enchanted Broccoli Forest. I’ve loved this cookbook for a long time; it was a staple at my beloved Blue Heron Coffeehouse, and Larry and Colleen were frequently seen thumbing through it, shocking the sleepy town of Winona with Chinese mushroom soup and eggplant salads and all kinds of other goodness that were found handwritten on it’s beautiful pages. And there was this bread one day, one crisp fall day when Adam and I were off again and most my grades were off again, and I had skipped another lecture and there were piles of homework in my dirty red back pack. I stopped in for lunch before my work shift, and scrawled on the hanging chalkboard under ‘soup of the day’ was ‘creamy zucchini’ and ‘maple oatmeal bread’. I don’t know if they were meant to be together, but they both sounded so good that I ate them together anyway and went back for seconds. And I had never had creamy zucchini soup or maple oatmeal bread, but that first taste is forever etched in my mind; Me: greedily hunched over a well-used cream-colored bowl, eating my bread […]

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Blood Orange Loaf Cake

Sarah Kieffer — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 09:13:00 +0000

I’m sort of obsessed with blood oranges, as you may have guessed after seeing my Olive Oil Sugar Cookies with Blood Orange Icing. As I am immersed in gray winter days, the shock of bright purple segments hiding under that rusty orange peel brings light and warmth into our little home. This loaf cake is the perfect vessel for these oranges. It’s crammed full of zest, has a tender crumb, and is brushed with a blood orange glaze. The oil keeps the loaf light and moist, and the orange flavor is perfectly sweet-tart. There is some sun in this snow country after all. This recipe is adapted from my first book, The Vanilla Bean Baking Book, it is a variation of the Lemon Bread on page 96. I like to use regular orange juice in the bread base, and blood orange juice in the icing so it turns a pretty pink shade, but you can mix and match as you see fit. More Blood Orange Recipes:

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banana bread

Sarah Kieffer — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 00:03:00 +0000

I know there are a million recipes for banana bread out there, all of them claiming to be the best. I I’ve tried many different variations over the years, from those made with whole wheat flour and flaxseed, to loaves that were chock-full of chocolate chips and peanut butter. They were all delicious.But there is one recipe that has traveled with me from coffeehouse to coffeehouse, and now is a staple in our home. I’ve given it a few adjustments over the years, but it hasn’t strayed much from the recipe we made at the Blue Heron Coffeehouse. I’m not going to lie. It’s not on the healthy end of the spectrum. This banana bread is rich and delicious, always moist, and full of banana flavor. And it’s the best. Secret to the Best Banana Bread: The trick to giving your banana bread a great flavor is to use very ripe bananas – the blacker the better. I like to freeze my peeled, ripe bananas in a freezer bag, and then move them from the freezer to the fridge the night before baking. As the bananas thaw, they leak a lot of banana juice. I put all the juice in […]

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