Easy Yummy Nut Bread

A pantry-staple quick bread that turns flour, milk, eggs, and butter into something far better than the sum of its parts. The added nuts provide the only real flavor signature; choose pecans, walnuts, or hazelnuts based on what is in the pantry. The 20-minute rest before baking is what separates this from a typical mix-and-bake quickbread.

That rest period (autolyse, in baker terminology) lets the flour fully hydrate and the leavening start working. The result is a more uniform crumb with better lift and a tender texture rather than the dense, gummy texture quickbreads can have when rushed straight from bowl to oven.

Five teaspoons of baking powder might look excessive for the amount of flour, but the bread depends on it. With minimal fat (just two tablespoons of butter for two loaves) and only one egg, the leavening has to do most of the rise work that fat and creaming would handle in a richer recipe.

This is a good base for adding fruit, spices, or different nuts. The lean, neutral flavor takes additions well without competing.

Pro Tips

• Toast the nuts in a dry skillet for 3 to 4 minutes before adding. Toasting deepens the flavor enormously and the difference is dramatic.
• Do not overmix once the flour is added. Quickbreads turn tough when the gluten develops too much.
• Tap the pans on the counter once filled to release air bubbles. Trapped air leaves holes in the finished loaf.
• Cool 15 minutes in the pan as the recipe specifies, then unmold. Hot loaves break when removed too early.

Variations

• Add a half cup of raisins or dried cranberries with the nuts for fruit and chew.
• Stir a teaspoon of cinnamon and a tablespoon of brown sugar into the batter for a sweeter, spiced version.
• Brush the warm tops with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar for a sweet glaze finish.