There’s nothing like the smell of bread early in the morning, afternoon, or night for that matter. If you like yours on the sweeter side, then we have the perfect trio of baked bread desserts, that are bouncy, light, and sans any syrup. These are legit bread desserts in themselves for as a whole, the sugar and fruits that go into them account for the sweet edge of these breads.
1. Vanilla Sweet Bread
(Serves 12)
Ingredients
- 240 gm all-purpose flour
- 200 gm granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 80 ml vegetable oil
- 240 ml whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg, room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C and meanwhile grease a 9"x5" loaf pan and set aside.
- Add flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt into a mixing bowl. Use a whisk to mix.
- In a separate bowl, pour oil, milk and vanilla extract. Crack in the egg and whisk to combine.
- Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour the just-mixed liquid into the well. Fold the ingredients using a spatula until no flour streaks are visible.
- Pour batter into the loaf pan and tap on the counter a few times to remove air bubbles.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes. The top should be golden brown and slightly springy when pressed.
- Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes outside the oven, then on a wire rack for 1 hour.
2. Fruity Sweet Bread
(Makes 20 slices)
Ingredients
- 500 gm all-purpose flour
- 4 tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp ground allspice
- ½ tsp salt
- 400 + 40 gm light brown sugar, (extra for glaze)
- 350 gm shredded coconut
- 160 gm candied cherries, roughly chopped
- 30 gm mixed candied peel
- 80 gm raisins
- 40 gm dried currants
- 150 gm salted butter, melted
- 180 ml evaporated milk
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 2 eggs, beaten
- ¾ teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease two loaf pans with butter, dust with flour, and tap out the excess.
- Sift flour, baking powder, allspice, and salt into a big bowl, then add the brown sugar, all the dried fruits, and coconut. Use a spatula to mix and coat the fruits with the flour.
- To another bowl, pour the melted butter, evaporated milk, almond extract, beaten eggs, and freshly grated ginger. Whisk everything until combined well.
- Like before, create a well in the center of the flour bowl and pour the contents of the liquid bowl. Fold until just fixed to avoid a tough dough.
- Divide the dough equally between the two pans and lightly smoothen.
- Bake for 60-70 minutes. The tops should turn golden brown.
- While bread bakes, prepare the glaze by mixing 40 grams of brown sugar with a little water.
- Take out the bread from the oven and brush the glaze generously over the tops. Return to the oven for five to six minutes for a crispy and sweet crust.
- Take out the pans and for 15 minutes cool in the pan, then turn them over on a wire rack to completely cool. Slice and serve.
3. Cinnamon Swirl Bread
(Serves 15)
Ingredients
For the Cinnamon Swirl
- 100 gm granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
For the Bread
- 250 gm all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 150 gm granulated sugar
- 80 ml vegetable oil
- 80 gm sour cream or plain yogurt, room temperature
- 160 ml whole milk, room temperature
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan with butter. Set aside.
- Add the sugar and ground cinnamon to a small bowl and mix well. Set this aside too.
- In a large mixing bowl, add flour, baking soda, and salt, whisking until you have lump-free and mixed ingredients.
- In another bowl, mix the egg with sugar, whisking until pale. Then add the vegetable oil, sour cream or yogurt, milk, and vanilla extract. Whisk until everything is combined and smooth.
- Pour the egg-milk combo into the flour bowl, using a whisk, to combine everything, so no flour streaks are visible.
- Pour half of your batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle most of the cinnamon-sugar mixture over this layer. Reserve about two tablespoons for the top.
- Carefully pour the remaining batter over the cinnamon layer and use a spoon to spread it evenly. Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar on top and use a knife to make a large swirl through the batter. Don’t overdo it.
- Initially bake the loaf for 25 minutes, then after 25 minutes, loosely cover with foil to prevent over-browning. Continue baking for 25-40 more minutes.
- Remove from oven when done and place on a wire rack to cool off.