4

Hi it seems the recipes for quick breads like banana bread, pumpkin bread etc are all very similar. Is there a good guide for a general quick bread recipe where you just fold in the unique characteristic?

Ie: a recipe where you can just fold in 1 cup of bananas to make banana bread, or 1 cup of pumpkin to make pumpkin bread, etc.

Improve this question

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
4

Yes, from the book Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking by Michael Ruhlman

Quick Bread = 2 parts flour: 2 parts liquid: 1 part egg: 1 part butter...Recipes vary considerably on how much baking powder to use. I've found that a good working rule is one teaspoon per 4 ounces of flour (a scant cup), or 5 grams for every 110 grams of flour.

Improve this answer
6
  • Would pumpkin puree / mashed banana /... count as liquid? And is "parts" meassured by weight or volume?
    – Stephie ♦
    Jan 3, 2015 at 19:06
  • Yes, within a certain degree of "judgement call". He goes back and forth between weight and volume.
    – Jolenealaska ♦
    Jan 3, 2015 at 19:10
  • Nice, thanks. Sugar isn't included in that ratio/recipe?
    – Marcus Leon
    Jan 3, 2015 at 19:24
  • Nope, a difference between 'bread" and "cake".
    – Jolenealaska ♦
    Jan 3, 2015 at 19:31
  • 1
    Unfortunately, the available liquid content of bananas and pumpkin puree are different and affect the final qualities of the bread accordingly. Ruhlman's book addresses the banana bread option explicitly by recommending that you brown the butter first (which would eliminate the liquid content present in the whole butter) and that you reduce the the liquid (milk) by a quarter by weight for what would be 2 parts banana. Also, though Ruhlman tends to use some volumetric measures for smaller amounts like salt and baking powder, his fundamental ratios are based on weight. Ruhlman is the authority.
    – Stephen Eure
    Jan 4, 2015 at 0:04

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.