Tag: Baking

Vintage Recipes: Zucchini Bread
Recipes

Vintage Recipes: Zucchini Bread

Sarah

I came across this vintage Bisquick Zucchini Bread recipe and finally tried it out once the gardens started producing summer squash this month.

I have mentioned before that I keep Bisquick in the prepper pantry, so I use it periodically to keep the stock fresh. Vintage recipes are a great way to use them. Based on my memories of magazine ads, I’d place this recipe in the early 80s. You can see the edges, where one would cut it out and put it into their 3″x5″ cardholder, possibly even taping it onto card stock so it would be firm. I was expected to snip out recipes that sounded good as a child and give them to my Mom. Her church friends would often dump boxes of magazines on us, and being we had no TV, reading lady/home making magazines was a highlight. I am sure I saw this recipe in passing back then.

And yes…80s recipes are vintage now. That’ll age you quickly.

Zucchini Bread

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups Bisquick baking mix
  • 1½ cups shredded zucchini (used yellow and green)
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar (used sucralose)
  • ¼ cup avocado oil
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground nutmeg
  • ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°—lightly oil a metal 9″x5″ bread pan.

Use a spatula, beat all the ingredients until mixed, or follow the directions above in the photo for a mixer.

Scrape into the pan and smooth out.

Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, till a knife comes out clean in the center. Cool for 10 minutes, and knock out of the pan onto a cooling rack.

Cool before slicing.

Makes 1 loaf.

Notes:

If I were to make it again, I would bake it in an 8″ x 4″ loaf pan. I had to replace my 9″ x 5″ metal bread pans last year, and I don’t know if it is just me or not, but the pans just seem wider and shallower than when I was younger. My Mom’s bread pans were deep! Yet, I have her ancient Fire King 8″ x 4″ bread pan, and the modern 9″ x 5″ seems giant next to it. The zucchini bread turned out was so flat and not high enough! That was a pan of the wrong size, for sure. However, the bread still tasted fine.

We used chocolate chips instead of nuts due to the nut allergy in our household. And honestly, I have never liked nuts in zuke bread. I much prefer chocolate.

~Sarah

Vintage Recipes: Apple Coffee Cake
Recipes

Vintage Recipes: Apple Coffee Cake

Sarah

We don’t use many processed foods in our house, but Bisquick baking mix is one item I keep on hand. I use it mostly for prepping purposes, but cycling through is a good idea, so periodically, I bake with it. With my arm injury now at a month out, I am able to work on the homestead again (with the boys helping me), so I have had less indoor cooking time. It’s probably a good trade-off, though. I’ve enjoyed getting sun once again, and working my plants. A quick cake sounded nice for dessert.

I came across a vintage recipe from the Mid-Century period. The flavors were not huge back then, so this is a basic recipe. I’d say it would have been improved by adding a teaspoon of vanilla to the cake. Maybe with oats in the crumble topping. It’s a good start, though, and the cake is moist due to the apple. It’s quick and easy to mix up; I quartered the apple, grated it to speed up the process, and left the peel on. I used a Honeycrisp apple as they are crisp and juicy.

This can be made with sugar alternatives, such as sucralose, to lower the sugar in the recipe. It won’t affect the flavor or texture.

Apple Coffee Cake

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups Bisquick Mix or similar
  • 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2/3 cup milk
  • 1 apple, grated

Topping:

  • 2 Tbsp Bosquick Mix
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, diced

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°.

Lightly oil an 8×8″ glass baking pan.

Add the Bisquick, sugar, egg, and milk in a mixing bowl. Stir for 30 seconds, then mix in the apple.

Spread in the pan evenly.

In a small bowl, mix the topping, stirring the Bisquick, sugar, and cinnamon. Work the butter in with your fingers till crumbly.

Sprinkle over the cake.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, till a knife comes out clean.

Let cool on a wire rack.

~Sarah

Bread Machine No Sugar Sandwich Loaf
Recipes

Bread Machine No Sugar Sandwich Loaf

Sarah

My daily sandwich loaf recipe, which I use most days of the week, has one thing I do not like. It has sugar, and it’s not a small amount at ¼ cup per loaf. Yes, I know that isn’t much in the grand scheme of things, but it adds up with each slice consumed.

I started poking around, trying to see if I could make life easier for myself and find a Zojirushi recipe I could use. Well, it was shocking there wasn’t one for the standard bread machines they make. I did find a recipe for what would have been a 1-pound loaf for their miniature bread machine. Looking at the recipe, I decided to try it and double the ingredients. It seemed solid, and the ingredients were cheap, so there was no loss if it failed.

It turned out great, as I figured it would since the ingredient ratio was close enough to my standard recipe. The only change is that I’d set the crust slightly darker next time. That had me wondering how much the sugar plays into the browning.

Without sugar, the bread has a nice tang from the yeast. It reminds me of simple peasant bread but with the softness of a sandwich bread.

Bread Machine No Sugar Sandwich Loaf

Ingredients:

  • 1½ cups water
  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces (or avocado oil)
  • 530 grams of all-purpose flour
  • 3 Tbsp dry milk
  • 2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 2 tsp dry yeast

Directions:

This bread recipe requires a bread machine that can make a 2-pound loaf. Some smaller machines don’t go this big, so be sure to check. Zojirushi bread machines warm the ingredients for you. Other brands use warm water instead, at the manual’s desired temperature, and stack the ingredients as called for the machine.

Add ingredients in the order listed.

Set a loaf on for standard white bread with a medium crust.

Check during the first kneading cycle to ensure everything is mixing and to see if you need to add a bit more flour (if the dough appears too sticky).

Once baked, remove it promptly and let it cool on a wire rack.

Once fully cooled, store in a sealed bread bag and use within two days for best results.

This slices well for freezing. We take out slices at night, put them in a sandwich box, and let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight for sandwiches.

Makes one 2-pound loaf.

~Sarah

Zojirushi Bread Machine: Chocolate Bread
Recipes

Zojirushi Bread Machine: Chocolate Bread

Sarah

It’s not a sweet bread but a fun take on the traditional sandwich loaf. Spread butter, peanut butter, and such on top for a lovely breakfast bread. Or get out of your rut and have a savory sandwich on it.

Chocolate Bread

Ingredients:

  • 1¼ cups milk*
  • 1 large egg, beaten*
  • 2½ Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 520 grams of all-purpose or bread flour
  • 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1½ tsp fine sea salt
  • 2 tsp active dry yeast
  • 2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Add to a Zojirushi bread machine in the order listed, starting with water and ending with the flour. Sprinkle the yeast on top, ensuring it doesn’t touch the liquid.

Set a loaf for standard white bread with a medium crust and, if needed, a 2-pound size.

Check during the first kneading cycle to ensure everything is mixing so the dough is slightly tacky to the touch.

Near the end of the kneading cycle, a set of beeps will alert you to add the chocolate chips. (Most bread machines have a setting to alert you for adding in items like dried fruit, nuts, and such,)

Remove after baking, and let cool on a rack before slicing.

Once fully cooled, store in a sealed bread bag and use within two days for best results.

Makes one loaf.

Notes:

Zojirushi bread machines warm the ingredients for you, while other brands use warm water instead, at the temperature called for, usually around 110*, and stack the ingredients as called for in the manual. Follow your machine’s manual. Items with * should be warmed up if using a standard machine. Let the egg come to room temperature before using.

~Sarah

Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Recipes

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Sarah

Zucchini will soon be starting to flow in the gardens. This hearty cake is a great way to use some of it. While it has sugar, it’s far lower than a traditional cake.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Ingredients:

  • 2½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup cocoa powder
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2/3 cup avocado oil
  • ½ cup milk + 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 4 large eggs
  • 6 Tbsp granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 medium zucchini, trimmed and shredded (about 2½ cups)
  • ¾ cup chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°, lightly oil a 9″x13″ glass pan.

In a small bowl, whisk the flour through salt.

Whisk the brown sugar, oil, milk, eggs, sugar, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl until smooth.

Stir in the zucchini and chocolate chips, then add the flour mixture. Stir till flour is mixed in.

Spread in the baking pan.

Bake for 30 minutes; check the center. Depending on the zucchini’s moisture, my cake took 45 minutes to bake, so check every 5 minutes after 30.

Let cool fully on a wire rack.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

  • 8-ounce block of cream cheese
  • 2/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/3 cup plain greek yogurt
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extra
  • 2 Tbsp milk

Directions:

Add the cream cheese through vanilla to a stand mixer bowl. Beat on low till combined, then increase speed to medium and let whip for 2 minutes. Add milk as needed to make it spreadable.

Frost cooled the cake and chill the cake it to set up the frosting.

Keep the cake refrigerated and consume it within 3 days.

~Sarah