I am always baking during the holiday season, and every year I make several loaves of different breads to give to family and friends, and for my own family to enjoy. I make a few large loaves, and several smaller loaves to give away. The loaves freeze very well if they aren’t going to be eaten right away (but I have found they don’t stay in the freezer for very long!). Wrap the cooled loaves well in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil, and label with marker, then store in the freezer until you need them.
Recommended Reading: Get started with baking by reading our Ultimate Guide to the Best Baking Equipment for Beginners!
Cinnamon Bread
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 cup buttermilk (or, mix 1 Tablespoon vinegar with 1 cup milk)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups flour (I use 1 cup of regular flour and 1 cup of whole wheat flour mixed together), sifted
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
Mix together oil, 1 cup sugar, egg and buttermilk. Sift together salt, soda, flour, and mix in with previous ingredients. Pour half the batter into a greased and floured loaf pan. Mix the 1/2 cup of sugar and the cinnamon well, sprinkle half of the mixture on top of batter and swirl through the batter with a butter knife. Top with remaining bread batter, sprinkle with remaining cinnamon sugar, and swirl again. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes.
When eating, first cut the bread with the best bread knife or best bread slicer. You can store in the best bread box.
**This bread also tastes great when made in the best bread machine or baked in a bread cloche!
Pumpkin Nut Bread
This is a large recipe and will make several loaves of bread; I usually get three large loaves and four or five small loaves out of this recipe.
- 1 1/2 cup shortening
- 3 1/2 cups sugar
- 6 eggs
- 1 large can pumpkin (29 ounces)
- 1 1/2 cup water
- 4 cups flour (I use 2 cups regular flour and 2 cups whole wheat flour), sifted
- 2 3/4 t. baking soda
- 2 1/4 t. salt
- 1 1/4 t. baking powder
- 1 3/4 t cinnamon*
- 1 3/4 t cloves*
- 1 1/2 cups crushed walnuts
- * I use 1 3/4 t pumpkin pie spice instead.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour loaf pans Cream shortening and sugar thoroughly. Add eggs, pumpkin, and water. Sift dry ingredients together and blend in to pumpkin mixture. When well blended, add nuts and mix well. Bake in loaf pans 65-75 minutes.
Banana Bread
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup margarine
- 2 eggs
- 3 bananas, mashed
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 2 1/2 cups flour, sifted ( I use half regular flour and half whole wheat flour)
- 1 t baking soda
- 1 t baking powder
- 1 cup walnuts, crushed
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour one large or two small loaf pans. Cream sugar and margarine together. Add mashed bananas and eggs and blend well. Sift dry ingredients together and add alternately with water to creamed mixture. Add walnuts and mix well. Pour batter into loaf pans and bake at 325 degrees for one hour. Enjoy banana bread!
Serve warm on the best warming tray!
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