How to Bake from Scratch: Quick Breads

Learning how to bake from scratch will be one of the most valuable skills you’ll ever learn!  Making your own quick breads is not only economical, more nutritious and a lot of fun!  Let’s do this!

I’m going to teach you, step-by-step, how to make Banana Bread, Cranberry Bread and Pumpkin Bread.

All of these quick breads taste great and will likely be eaten up before you know it!  At least, that’s the case in my home.

Quick breads are wonderful for breakfast, lunch boxes, afternoon snacks, new mom gifts and dinner additions!  Raising a large family, I’ve used quick breads to not only save money but to fill my kids up with healthy food!

The other great thing about making quick breads is that it’s so budget-friendly!  It costs about a DOLLAR to make a loaf of Banana bread, Cranberry Bread or Pumpkin bread!

BEST Banana bread recipe

Best Banana Bread

This economical and delicious banana bread is sure to be a hit with your family! Cost $2.27
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 2 loaves
Cost: $2.27

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup oil olive or canola)
  • 1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 tbsp. baking soda
  • 1/4 cup flax seed or steel cut oats
  • 1 cup sugar

Optional

  • 1 cup finely chopped walnuts or chocolate chips.

Instructions

  • Mix all of the wet ingredients together, including mashed bananas.
  • Add the mixed dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just blended.
  • Divide the batter between 2 greased loaf pans.
  • Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
  • Let cool on rack and serve!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Prep time is also less than 15 minutes – how can you go wrong??

For newbie bakers, I want to start from the beginning.

BEST Banana Bread Recipe

This economical and delicious banana bread is sure to be a hit with your family! Cost $2.27!

  • 3/4 cup oil (olive or canola))
  • 1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 tbsp. baking soda
  • 1/4 cup flax seed or steel cut oats
  • 1 cup sugar

Optional

  • 1 cup finely chopped walnuts or chocolate chips.
  1. Mix all of the wet ingredients together, including mashed bananas.
  2. Add the mixed dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just blended.
  3. Divide the batter between 2 greased loaf pans.
  4. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
  5. Let cool on rack and serve!
 

over ripe bananas

You’ll need 3 large bananas for this recipe.  Peel them and place the fruit in a bowl, then smash with a fork.

mashing ripe bananas in a bowl

Add to the mashed bananas all of the wet ingredients: oil, eggs, yogurt or sour cream and vanilla.  Mix well.

banana bread batter

After mixing your dry ingredients in a larger bowl (flour, salt, baking soda and oats) together, add the wet ingredients.

banana bread batter

Whisk until just blended.

stainless steel loaf pans

Spray your bread pans with Pam and put half of the batter in each of two pans.

unbaked banana bread batter in loaf pans

banana bread fresh from the oven

It smells amazing!  Your family will love you for making this quick bread!

sliced banana bread on a plate

 

cranberry quick bread

Cranberry Quick Bread

  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tbsp. baking powder
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 1/3 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup melted butter or oil
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1-1 1/2 cups frozen, fresh or dried cranberries
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon

Optional: Add 1 cup of chocolate chips or chopped walnuts

  1. Mix all of the dry ingredients together and set aside.
  2. Mix all of the wet ingredients, then add to dry ingredients. Mix until just blended.
  3. Pour batter into 2 greased loaf pans.
  4. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
  5. Cool first and enjoy!
 

How to Make Easy Pumpkin Puree

pumpkin bread

Pumpkin Bread

This recipe can be made as written for muffins, but it can also be made into 2 loaves.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Pumpkin/Chocolate Chips Muffins

This delicious quick bread allows for lots of variation!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 2 loaves

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces canned pumpkin
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 2/3 cup oil
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup chocolate chips (or raisins)

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, beat eggs, sugar, pumpkin, vanilla and oil.
  • Mix dry ingredients and add to pumpkin mixture.
  • Fill greased muffin tins 3/4 full, bake at 400° for 16-20 minutes.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

There are zillions of quick recipes out there online!  If you stay with basic ingredients, your “cost per loaf” will be minimal!

Stretch your food budget even further with Quick Breads!

How to Bake from Scratch: Quick Breads

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