Almond Bread

“A quick slice of heaven” is how this article reeled me in. Ok and if you know me, you know I love bread & it stated it had a quick bread for every taste. We choose the Almond Bread which called for a package of almond paste…what is almond paste?....neither of us had ever seen nor baked with before but the bread looked yummy!

Almond Bread

Cooking Light Magazine October 2012

1 ½ cups flour

1 ½ tsp baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

2./3 cup sugar

2 Tbs. butter, softened

2 Tbs. canola oil

1 (7-ounce) package almond paste

2 large eggs

½ tsp. vanilla extract

½ cup plus 1 Tbs. milk

Baking spray with flour

¼ cup sliced almonds

1/3 cup powdered sugar

Dash of salt

Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine flour, baking powder & salt, stirring well with a whisk & set aside.

Place sugar & next 3 ingredients (through the almond paste) in a large bowel; beat with mixer at medium speed until well combined (about 3 minutes).  Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition; beat in vanilla.  Beating at low speed, add flour mixture & ½ cup milk alternately to butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture; beat just until combined.

Scrape batter in 9 x 5 metal loaf pan coated with baking spray; sprinkle with sliced almonds.

Bake at 350 for 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs clinging.  Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  Remove from pan; cool on wire rack.

Place powdered sugar in a small bowl.  Add remaining 1 Tbs. of milk & dash of salt; stir with a whisk until smooth.  Drizzle glaze over top of bread; let stand until set.

Tupps Tidbits ~ this week it is a “D” tidbit since I am the baker….most cakes/breads are done when toothpick comes out clean – for this one, you want remove it from the oven when the toothpick still has some moist crumbs attached so you do not over bake

For the package of almond paste we did find it in the baking aisle but it was in a “can” not a package.  It made this loaf so incredibly moist & dense, almost like a pound cake.  So pour yourself a cup of coffee and enjoy!  I feel it could have used a little more glaze to amp up the sugar/sweetness but it was still lovely bread. KEEPER!