Quick Raisin Bread

No yeast, no kneading, no waiting around for dough to rise. This raisin bread is a quick bread in every sense. Mix the batter, pour it into a loaf pan, and it’s in the oven inside of 15 minutes.

Cereal flakes mixed into the batter add texture and a slightly nutty, toasty quality. Corn flakes or bran flakes both work well here. Buttermilk reacts with the baking soda to provide all the lift, giving the loaf a tender crumb with a slight tang.

Dredging the raisins in flour before adding them to the batter is an old baker’s trick. The flour coating prevents the raisins from sinking straight to the bottom of the loaf during baking, so you get fruit distributed evenly from top to bottom in every slice.

Pro Tips

• Don’t overmix the batter. Stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Overmixing develops gluten and makes quick breads tough and tunneled.
• Use room temperature buttermilk for better rise. Cold buttermilk slows the leavening reaction.
• The loaf is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The crust will be golden brown and slightly cracked on top.
• Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Slicing too early and it crumbles.

Variations

• Cinnamon raisin: Add a teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg to the dry ingredients for a spiced version.
• Cranberry walnut: Swap raisins for dried cranberries and fold in chopped walnuts.
• Honey oat: Replace the sugar with honey and use oat flakes as the cereal for a heartier, slightly sweeter loaf.