Mix and Match Quick Bread

Create your perfect loaf of quick bread: This customizable recipe leads to thousands of possibilities!

1. Choose a Flavor
Prepare 1 cup fruit or vegetables (one kind).
*Pear, shredded and squeezed dry
*Apple, shredded and squeezed dry
*Banana, mashed
*Carrot, shredded
*Zucchini, shredded and squeezed dry

2. Pick Your Mix-Ins
Choose up to 1 3/4 cups total of the following ingredients (use no more than 3/4 cup nuts). Toast and chop any nuts; chop any large dried fruit.
*Walnuts
*Pecans
*Almonds
*Hazelnuts
*Pistachios
*Dried cherries
*Dried cranberries*Rolled oats
*Chocolate chips (or some other flavor chip)
*Sweetened shredded coconut

3. Prepare the Pan
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter one 9-by-5-inch loaf pan or three 6-by-3-inch mini pans.

4. Make the Batter
Mix 1 1/4 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon each baking powder and salt, and 1/2 teaspoon each baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl; add your dry mix-ins (from step 2). 
In a medium bowl, whisk 2 eggs, 1/2 cup cooled melted butter or vegetable oil, 1/2 cup sour cream, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. 
Stir your fruit or vegetables (from step 1) into the egg mixture, then fold into the dry mixture until just combined.

5. Bake the Loaf
Spread the batter in the prepared pan(s). Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 55 minutes for a standard loaf, 35 to 40 minutes for mini loaves. Cool 30 minutes in the pan(s) on a rack, then turn out onto the rack to cool completely.

6. Make a Glaze
Prepare a glaze, pour on the cooled bread and let set, 15 to 20 minutes.

Chocolate
Whisk 1 cup confectioners' sugar, 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons milk, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract and a pinch of salt.

Vanilla Bean
Whisk 1 cup confectioners' sugar, 1 tablespoon milk and the seeds from 1 vanilla bean.

Brown Butter
Brown 3 tablespoons butter over low heat; cool slightly. Whisk with 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar and 1 tablespoon milk. Use immediately.

Citrus
Whisk 1 cup confectioners' sugar, 1 tablespoon each milk and citrus juice, and 1 teaspoon citrus zest.

Cream Cheese
Whisk 1 cup confectioners' sugar, 3 tablespoons softened cream cheese, 2 tablespoons milk and ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract.

Make these in advance: You can store them in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

This recipe can be found here.

Carrot Cake

(not iced yet)

Cake:

2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

4 whole eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups grated carrots

Butter, for greasing

Icing:

1 stick butter, softened

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1 pound powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup pecans, chopped finely

Directions

For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mix together the granulated sugar, oil and eggs in a large bowl.

In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and combine. Then add the carrots and mix well.

Pour the batter into a greased and floured Bundt pan and bake until done, about 50 minutes.

Leave to cool completely.

Meanwhile, for the icing: in a large bowl, cream the butter and cream cheese together.

Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and blend.

Then mix in the pecans.

Spread the icing on the cooled carrot cake.

This recipe can be found here.