Sweet Potato Bread
Moist, perfectly sweetened, and delicately spiced, this sweet potato bread is absolutely delightful. The recipe makes two loaves – one to enjoy and one to share.
Let the holiday baking season begin! I’m starting things off with this scrumptious sweet potato quick bread. The great thing about making quick bread is, as the name implies, it’s quick to prepare. Quick breads rely on leavening agents like baking powder and baking soda rather than yeast. There’s no kneading or waiting for dough to rise, it’s just mix, bake, and enjoy.
While making quick bread is quite simple, there are a few baking tips that will help ensure a delicious and beautiful loaf of bread every time.
Check the freshness of the leavening agents: Since quick breads rely on baking powder and baking soda to rise, make sure those ingredients haven’t lost their oomph. One way to check for freshness is the expiration date listed on the packing. Additional freshness tests involve a couple of chemistry experiments. To check the freshness of your baking powder, add a 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder to a 1/4 cup of very hot tap water. You’ll know it’s good to use if you see an immediate fizzing reaction. If there’s no bubbling, the baking powder is past its prime and should be replaced. For baking soda, add a 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda to 2 teaspoons of vinegar. Once again, immediate fizzing should take place if the baking soda is fresh.
Don’t overmix the batter: For a moist, tender quick bread, use a gentle touch when mixing the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Do this by hand with a large spoon and stir until the dry ingredients are just moistened. It’s okay for the batter to be slightly lumpy. Overmixing can create big holes and tunnels in the bread. It also causes the bread to be tough.
Keep the baking process moving: Since the baking powder and baking soda start to work as soon as they’re combined with the wet ingredients, get the batter into the prepared pans and into the oven as soon as possible. Also, to allow room for rising, only fill the loaf pan two-thirds full.
Preheat the oven and properly place the loaf pans: To ensure a proper rise, bake quick bread in a preheated oven. The bread should be baked on a rack that is in the center of the oven. When baking two loaves, allow enough space between the pans for the heat to circulate while baking.
Check for doneness: The best way to test for doneness is with a wooden pick inserted into the center of the loaf. If it comes out clean or has a few moist crumbs on it, it’s done.
Don’t worry about the crack: The large crack that forms down the middle of the loaf is perfectly normal and has nothing to do with your baking skills.
To your health,
Darlene
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SWEET POTATO BREAD
Yield: 24 servings
Serving Size: 1 slice
Prep: 20 minutes
Ready: 1 hour and 10 minutes (not including cooling time)
INGREDIENTS
Nonstick baking spray with flour (such as Baker’s Joy)
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 cup cooked and mashed sweet potato (one, 11-ounce baked sweet potato yields 1 cup mashed)
2/3 cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt (such as FAGE Total 2%)
1/2 cup 1% milk
1/3 cup neutral oil, such as canola or avocado oil
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 1/2 cups white whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup pecan halves, chopped
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons orange juice
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans with baking spray; set aside.
In a large bowl, mix together sugar, mashed sweet potato, yogurt, milk, oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and orange zest until combined.
In a separate bowl, stir together whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add flour mixture to the sugar mixture, along with pecans and stir until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
Evenly distribute batter between prepared loaf pans and bake 45 to 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
To prepare the glaze, combine powdered sugar and orange juice (squeezed from zested orange) in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Spread glaze over top of each loaf of bread after removing from oven. Allow bread to cool in pans on a wire rack for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove bread from pans and cool completely on wire rack. Each loaf yields 12 slices.
Nutrition Information per Serving
186 Calories, 5.5 g Total fat, 0.5 g Saturated fat, 0 g Trans fat, 16 mg Cholesterol, 134 mg Sodium, 32 g Total carbohydrate, 2 g Dietary fiber, 18 g Total sugars, 16 g Added sugars, 4 g Protein, 0 mcg (0%) Vitamin D, 31 mg (2%) Calcium, 1 mg (6%) Iron, 72 mg (2%) Potassium
© 2023 RECIPES MADE HEALTHY BY DARLENE ZIMMERMAN, MS, RD LLC
Aww, thanks Stacey. Glad the info was helpful. Beyond checking the expiration date, I never really thought about other ways to check for freshness of my baking powder and soda. But those two quick experiments add a little extra insurance. Happy baking 😊.
I’ve never tested my leavening agents. What a great tip Darlene. Also, have never realized the clock was ticking once the wet & dry were mixed. I have learned so much from you blog. Thank you. :)