Cinnamon Sugar Root Beer Quick Bread-Secret Recipe Club

Visiting my assigned blog for this month’s Secret Recipe Club, It Bakes Me Happy, made me happy.   I just knew that a blog with the word “bake” in the title would be filled with wonderful recipes, and it was.  Emily started this blog in 2010 and has posted many great baked sweets, but she does have some very good savory dishes also.  I want to make Chicken, Bacon, Potato Soup soon.  I cannot tell you how many of Emily’s sweet treat recipes I want to make, but Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls are very near the top of the list as is her Monkey Bread which is made from scratch not frozen bread dough.

Some Christmases I give mini quick bread loaves for Christmas gifts so when I saw the recipe for Cinnamon Sugar Root Beer Bread I, knew that is what I would make for this post.  I was intrigued by the fact that  there was no egg and  very little butter in the recipe and the way the butter was used.  I knew I just had to make the recipe and see what happened.

I didn’t have root beer on hand and didn’t want to stop at the store, so I just bought a can from the vending machine at work.  I had planned to add some root beer extract to the mix but forgot to do it.  The next time, I think I will add a teaspoon as the root beer flavor was very subtle.

I made six mini loaves, so I sliced a tablespoon slice of butter, cut it into six pieces and then cut each piece into three pieces and put three in each mini loaf pan.  I repeated this with the second tablespoon  of butter for the top of the loaves.  I had cinnamon sugar on hand so didn’t measure it but just sprinkled the mixture generously over the top of the loaves.

The bread was moist and easy to slice.  In an attempt to amp up the root beer flavor, I combined a quarter cup of cream cheese and 1/4 teaspoon root beer extract to spread on the bread.  I think cinnamon flavored cream cheese would be great on the bread also.

Thanks, Emily, for an interesting new recipe that I will make often.

Cinnamon Sugar Root Beer Quick Bread
from “It Bakes Me Happy blog”
2 c. all purpose flour
1 c. whole wheat flour (I used white whole wheat)
2 T. sugar
1 T. baking powder
3/4 t. salt
2 T. honey
1 (12 oz.) can root beer
2 (1 tablespoon slices) butter
Cinnamon sugar

Combine flours, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl.  Carefully pour root beer into a small bowl.  Let set a few minutes to let the foam subside some.  Add honey and mix well.  Combine root beer mixture with flour mixture, stirring only until dry ingredients are just moistened.   Cut one slice of butter into 6 parts and cut each part into 3 pieces.  Either scatter butter over the bottom of a greased 9x5 loaf pan or place three pieces in each of six greased mini loaf pans.  Spoon dough into loaf pan or evenly into mini pans.  Repeat butter process with the second slice of butter.  Sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar.  Bake at 350 degrees 50 to 55 minutes for a loaf pan or  23 to 25 minutes for mini loaves.  Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.  Makes 1 large loaf or 6 mini loaves.

Check out the links below to see what other Secret Recipe Club Group B members posted this month.

Root Beer Float Freeze-Saturday Sweets

I am back from a few days in Idaho where I relaxed and read while my hubby went 4-wheeling.  Another big thanks to Masha from The Better Baker, Danni from Silo Hill Farm, Kristen from Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker, and CJ from Morsels of Life for taking such good care of my blog while I was gone.

Root Beer Float Freeze, is a great treat to keep in the freezer for enjoying on a hot summer day. I like to make this when I am wanting a root beer float, but don't have vanilla ice cream in the freezer.   This is a dessert that can actually be served two ways.  Serve it frozen if you can wait.  If not, it can be served as a pudding.

Regular or sugar-free pudding, root beer or whipped topping can be used so this is a dessert than can be made for people who cannot have sugar.

I measure the frozen whipped topping for this by using a knife to cut the frozen topping in half and removing half to thaw out.

I served this garnished with Graham Crunch sprinkled over the top.  That recipe is part of a recipe that will be posted on the 12th in a guest post over at Love and Laundry.

Root Beer Float Freeze
1 small box instant vanilla pudding, regular or sugar-free
1 c. root beer, regular or sugar-free
1 t. root beer extract
half of an 8 oz.. carton regular or sugar-free frozen whipped topping, thawed

In a medium mixing bowl, combine pudding mix and root beer.  Beat with a wire whisk for 2 minutes.  Add root beer extract and beat until well blended.  Fold in thawed whipped topping until mixture is very well blended.  Spoon mixture into a foil-lined 8-inch square pan.  Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 4 hours.  Cut into 12 squares and stack them 3 high to serve.  Makes 4 servings.  The mixture can also be chilled in the refrigerator for about an hour and served as a pudding.

Linking to these great parties:
Weekend Potluck
Saturday Spotlight
Party Junk
Share Your Creativity
Strut Your Stuff
Weekend Bloggy Reading
What'd You Do This Weekend