Did you know you can make bread without yeast? They are called quick breads or soda bread. They use self-rising flour, baking powder, baking soda or a combination to rise the bread instead of yeast. Think about biscuits and banana bread for examples. In addition, they are fast and painless to make.

The texture will be a lot like cornbread and not like a typical yeast bread. It will also be a softer bread with a tender crumb much like a muffin. If you let it cool completely, you can make sandwiches and toast with it, but my family found it much better as a “sopping” bread. They called it that as it was used to dip into soups, and to sop up the gravies left on plates. It’s a unique and wonderful creation you should try at least once.

My favorite thing about quick bread is how versatile the recipes have become. For instance, you can make it sweet, savory or a combination of the two. Or for another example, you can swap out half the flour and add cornmeal for cornbread. If you like your cornbread more southern, skip the sugar. The more north you get, the sweeter the cornbread until it’s nearly a cake. Northern people love sweetness in their savory dishes.

Or try to put in some spices like a tablespoon of cinnamon and substitute the sugar for brown sugar for a neat surprise. Add in some fresh fruit like apples and get an apple pie reminiscent type flavor. Once you learn to make quick bread, the possibilities are limitless. Only your imagination will stop you.

There is one thing to remember. There are two main types of rising agents used in quick bread. Baking powder or baking soda. Those made with baking soda are often called “soda breads” and are much cheaper to make as baking soda is the cheapest of all the leaveners out there. Soda breads are popular in my culture.

Baking Powder is used when you don’t have an acidic ingredient like buttermilk, cocoa, or lemons. Most baking powder brands are typically a combination of both baking soda and cream of tartar. Baking Soda needs an acid to rise. Without acid: always, always, use baking powder. Also, an easy way to remember the difference is that the words acid and soda each having four letters.

In comparison, self-rising flour takes the guess work out for you and puts in both rising agents. However, they can be a little salty, so try various brands of self-rising flours.

Quick Bread for Beginners

Quick bread is delicious, fast, easy to make and doesn't require yeast. It is great for beginners and those in a hurry as you can have fresh baked bread within about an hour. It's a wonderful recipe to learn and easy to modify.

Print Recipe

Prep Time5 minutes minutes

Cook Time55 minutes minutes

Total Time1 hour hour

Servings1 loaf

Calories 128.3

Ingredients

• 3 cups (450g) flour
• 1 ¼ cups (300mL) milk
• ½ cup (100g) sugar
• 2 large (100g) eggs
• ¼ cup (60mL) oil
• 1 tbs (12g) baking powder
• ½ tsp (2.5g) salt

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350F (180C.)
• In a large bowl, sift together all dry ingredients. Stir well.
• In a separate container, mix all wet ingredients together until well blended.
• Add wet ingredients to dry, stir until just combined. Batter will be slightly lumpy.
• Pour into a greased and floured or parchment lined 9×5 (23×13 cm) pan.
• Bake 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Center of bread should read between 190F (88C) – 210F (100C.)
• Cool in pan 5-10 minutes before removing.
• Cool completely on wire rack or serve warm. Makes 18 slices.

Notes

Substitutions:

You can use self-rising flour.  Simply omit the baking powder and cut salt in half.

You can use baking soda and buttermilk.  Use only 3/4 tsp (5g) of baking soda and 1 1/4 cups (300mL) of buttermilk.  Omit the baking powder.

If you do not have buttermilk, add 1 tbs (15mL) of lemon juice or vinegar to a measuring cup, then add milk until you get to the 1 cup line (240mL.)  The acid is needed for baking soda to rise the bread.

Nutrition Facts

Quick Bread for Beginners

Serving Size

 

1 slice

Amount per Serving

Calories

128.3

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

3.7

g

6

%

Saturated Fat

 

0.4

g

3

%

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

0.9

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

2.2

g

Sodium

 

145.1

mg

6

%

Carbohydrates

 

20.9

g

7

%

Protein

 

3.2

g

6

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

* Calories provided as a courtesy and not guaranteed.