Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Southern Sweet Potato Bread


Okay this is going to be a quickie or else I won't be able to post until the weekend. Work has been crazy hectic and everybody seems to want a piece... even as I type... Autumn is hunched directly in front of me blocking the screen and demanding pets. Pushy little thing. 


Busy is good. That's why you need to make tasty treats like this Southern Sweet Potato Bread. It makes an awesome breakfast and snack. Plus, it's sweet potato which is healthy.. right? Like how ice cream is an excellent source of calcium. Okay maybe that's a stretch.



All I know is this bread is yummy, moist, and reminds me a little of fall.. which is always comforting. It's packed in with pecans for a nutty goodness. It's really is a slice of Thanksgiving. That's why I added some maple syrup! 

 

If you want to get really frisky, add some dried cranberries! For a dessert, serve with a little bit of vanilla ice cream. It's all about the calcium, wink wink!


As to what the heck makes it Southern is beyond me. That's what the allrecipes.com title identifies it as. Thank you for the awesome recipe. There are a few modifications, like the addition of whole wheat flour and the substitution of white sugar with brown. You can use any nut you want. The original recipe incorporates raisins, if you're into that sort of thing

Note. I prefer baking the sweet potato because the taste is better preserved. It takes about an hour in oven at 400, but it's worth it. Don't forget to wrap it in tin foil.

Happy hump day!


Sweet Potato Bread
slightly modified from allrecipes

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (i prefer saigon cinnamon)
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup dried cranberries (optional)
2 tablespoons maple syrup (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F ( 165 degrees C ). Grease an 8x4 inch loaf pan.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flours, baking powder, salt, nutmeg cinnamon, and brown sugar. Add the eggs, oil, and milk; mix until well blended. Finally, stir in the mashed sweet potatoes and pecans. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow bread to cool in the pan at least 15 minutes before removing. For best flavor, store overnight before serving.