There's nothing like a loaf of homemade bread to fill your home with incredible smells of fall. (Who needs a scented candle when you can have a loaf of bread?) These three full flavored fall quick breads are simple to put together and delicious as a breakfast, snacks or dessert. They also make a perfect gift, wrapped up in a tea towel.
Cinnamon Bread
2 1/4 cup flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup pure maple syrup 1 cup buttermilk 2 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 cup browned butter 1/4 cup cold butter, cubed 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan and set aside. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla extract. Slowly whisk in browned butter. Combine wet ingredients with dry. Mix just until combined. In a small bowl combine butter pieces and 1 tablespoons ground cinnamon. Gently fold in coated butter pieces into the batter. Pour batter into prepared bread loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean. Apple and Cheddar Bread 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon fine salt 1/2 teaspoon ground sage 3/4 cup diced cheddar cheese 3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese 3 large eggs 2/3 cup whole milk 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick), melted, plus more for coating the pan 1 1/2 cups grated Granny Smith apples (about 2 medium), grated Directions Heat the oven to 350 degrees and arrange a rack in the middle. Generously coat a loaf pan with butter. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and sage together in a large bowl until aerated and any large lumps are broken up. Add the diced and shredded cheese and toss until the pieces are separated and evenly coated with the flour mixture. Set aside. Place the eggs, milk, and melted butter in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth. Add the apples and stir until combined. Add the egg mixture to the flour-cheese mixture and stir until the flour is just incorporated, being careful not to overmix. The batter will be very thick. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the batter into the prepared pan, pushing it into the corners and smoothing the top. Bake until the bread is golden brown all over and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (test several spots because you may hit a pocket of cheese), about 45 to 50 minutes. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the perimeter of the bread and turn it out onto the rack. Let it cool for at least 30 minutes more before slicing. Honey Maple Pumpkin Bread 3/4 cup honey 3/4 cup maple syrup 1 cup butter, melted 1 teaspoon vanilla 4 eggs 3 cups flour 2 cups pumpkin puree 2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice 2 teaspoons baking soda Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and grease 2 loaf pans. In a large bowl, mix the honey, syrup, butter, vanilla, and eggs together. Mix in the pumpkin puree. In a different bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and stir until everything is incorporated, but avoid overmixing. Divide the batter between the two loaf pans, and bake for 50-65 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.