What does adding 1 extra egg to quick bread do?

Question

Question: What does adding an extra egg to quick bread batter do? Do I need to add any additional leavening when I do this? Can I add 2 extra eggs and have it rise / bake properly?

I make a lot of quick breads. Sometimes a batter is VERY thick and I wonder about adding an extra egg. For instance, my pumpkin bread batter was so thick one time because the pumpkin was not as moist...so I added one extra egg (recipe was for 2 - 9x5x3 pans and contains 4 eggs normally). Seemed to rise slightly more than usual and tasted great, but this is the only time I have done this.

Thanks to anyone that answers.

Answer 1

An extra whole egg, lightly beaten but not foamed quickbread, should give you following effects:

• richer, smoother taste
• slightly drier crumb

There are also two effects which would be somewhat at odds with each other. The yolk will make the texture more dense and smooth, a bit brownie-like, while the fact that your original batter was too thick means that the additional liquid will help the baking powder achieve better leavening, giving you an airier texture. So, as a whole, the texture will be airier in the sense of having larger holes in the crumb (which is consistent with you saying that the one time it rose higher), but the solid walls of these holes will be somewhat denser.

As a whole, the texture of the resulting loaf will feel a tad more cake-y and less quickbread-y to the eater.

Since you have already done it once, you already have an idea what it will be like; from your description, you can expect for a similar result to happen consistently if you continue using one more egg.