Simple Sweet Bread Recipe | Julie Blanner (2024)

Sweet Bread is so incredibly easy to make and only takes5 minutes hands on time. This easy Sweet Bread recipe requires only staple ingredients:sugar,flour,baking powder,salt,eggs,milk andvegetable oil! It’s easy quick bread recipe for breakfast, snack or dessert that also makes a beautiful neighbor, hostess or holiday gift!

Sweet Bread is a quick and easy no yeast bread recipe. It is made with just staple ingredients – in minutes! It’s perfect for breakfast, brunch, snacks and dessert. There are so many variations you can make with this classic recipe includingCinnamon Sweet Bread and Orange Sweet Bread, which are traditional around Christmas.

I often make it when we’re having last minute guestsfor a playdate or as a quick hostess gift. You can adapt this simple sweet bread recipe with your favorite fruits, but it’s perfection on it’s own as well. I love to slather a little butter on it for good measure.

This time of year, Michael’s offers miniature ceramic loaf pans for just $1. I always stock up on them in white to use throughout the year. They are more durable than paper loaf pans and make a beautiful gift.

This recipe yields 6 pretty little loaves, if you’re willing to share or 2 large loaves!

Sweet Bread Ingredients

  • Sugar – White granulated sugar makes this bread delightfully sweet. Optional: sprinkle sugar over the loaf just before baking for a shimmery finish.
  • Flour – All purpose flour is the foundation of this bread.
  • Baking Powder – Leavensquick bread, without the fuss! It ensures a nice even rise.
  • Salt – A hint of salt brings out the flavors of the other ingredients.
  • Eggs – The binding agent.
  • Milk – Milk creates a nice soft loaf. In addition, milk adds flavor to quick breads and gives it a beautiful brown color due to caramelization of milk and sugars!
  • Vegetable Oil – Vegetable oilmakes the bread incredibly moist, with a light and delicate crumb. You can substitute with canola oil or melted butter in a pinch.
Simple Sweet Bread Recipe | Julie Blanner (3)

How to Make Sweet Bread

  1. Combine dry ingredients.
  2. In a separate mixing bowl, combine wet ingredients.
  3. Incorporate dry mixture into wet mixture until just combined and pour into greased loaf pans.
  4. Sprinkle sugar on top to make your Sweet Bread glisten and bake! It’s SO easy!

Tips

Baking Alternatives

  • Large Loaves – Don’t want 6 miniature loaves? You can also make this Sweet Bread recipe in 2 – 1 pound loaf pans or cut the recipe in half for just 1 loaf pan and bake 50 minutes or until it passes the toothpick test.
  • Make Muffins – If you prefer to make them into muffins, just grease miniature muffin tins andfill each to 2/3 full. Bake 12 minutes.
  • Make it Ornate – Alternatively, you can also bake it in an ornate loaf pan with the same minimal effort!

Variations

  • Add a Glaze – This bread is amazing on it’s own, but you can also cover sweet bread with Glaze(or drizzle if you show any restraint).Cream Cheese Glaze, Orange Glaze Recipeor Lemon Glazeare some of our favorites! Because it makes 6 miniature loaves, you can try them all!Seriously, soooo good! Through the years we’ve made it in a variety of ways.I tend to make it as written in the recipe card below for breakfast, brunch or to serve with dinner and add a little glaze to leftovers for dessert.
  • Add Fruits – Fresh or dried! Apples, cranberries, strawberries, oranges, the options are endless!
  • Add Nuts – Walnuts, pecans or even candied nuts are a delicious addition.
  • Brown Sugar – Make it with brown sugar (see my Brown Sugar Bread recipe) for richer flavor.
  • Add Chocolate Chips
  • Experiment with Extracts – Add an extract like vanilla, lemon or almond

How to Store Bread

  • Room Temperature – Store quick breadin a sealed plastic bag or covered in saran wrapat room temperature for up to 5 days.
  • Refrigerate – Up to 1 week in an airtight container.
  • Freeze – Wrap them tightly in heavy foil, saran wrap or place them in freezer bags (I like to do at least 2 to prevent freezer odors from seeping in), and freeze for up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature to serve.

If you try this recipe,please come back to share using my 5 star rating in the comments below! Not only do I appreciate it, but I know readers do, too!

Are you on the list? Subscribers receive access to my free printable library that includes “Wishing you a sweet Christmas” gift tags. Get your free copy the ebook 10 Sweet Bread Recipes as well!

I hope this sweet bread recipe makes your holiday entertaining and gifting a little easier. You can find all of my bread recipes here, includingbeer bread (which I highly recommend smothering with honey butter).

More Easy Quick Bread Recipes

  • Meltaway Muffins
  • Sweet Orange Bread
  • Cinnamon Bread
  • Funfetti Bread
  • Strawberry Muffins
  • Lemon Loaf

Simple Sweet Bread Recipe | Julie Blanner (4)

4.82 from 318 votes

Sweet Bread Recipe

By Julie Blanner

Sweet Bread is so incredibly easy to make and only takes5 minutes hands on time. This easy Sweet Bread recipe requires only staple ingredients:sugar,flour,baking powder,salt,eggs,milk andvegetable oil! It’s easy quick bread recipe for breakfast, snack or dessert that also makes a beautiful neighbor, hostess or holiday gift!

Total: 45 minutes mins

Servings: 24

PinRatePrint

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Grease 6 mini loaf pans and preheat oven to 350℉.

  • In a medium mixing bowl, add sugar, flour, baking powder and salt and whisk to combine.

  • In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, milk and oil until just combined.

  • Gradually add dry mixture to wet until just moist.

  • Pour batter into prepared loaf pans an inch below to compensate for rise. Optional: sprinkle sugar on top.

  • Bake 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Julie’s Tips

Substitutions

  • Vegetable Oil – Vegetable oilmakes the bread incredibly moist, with a light and delicate crumb. You can substitute with canola oil or melted butter in a pinch.

Baking Alternatives

  • Large Loaves – Don’t want 6 miniature loaves? You can also make this Sweet Bread recipe in 2 – 1 pound loaf pans or cut the recipe in half for just 1 loaf pan and bake 50 minutes or until it passes the toothpick test.
  • Make Muffins – If you prefer to make them into muffins, just grease miniature muffin tins andfill each to 2/3 full. Bake 12 minutes.
  • Make it Ornate – Alternatively, you can also bake it in an ornate loaf pan with the same minimal effort!

Variations

  • Add a Glaze – This bread is amazing on it’s own, but you can also cover sweet bread with Glaze(or drizzle if you show any restraint).Cream Cheese Glaze, Orange Glaze Recipeor Lemon Glazeare some of our favorites! Because it makes 6 miniature loaves, you can try them all!Seriously, soooo good! Through the years we’ve made it in a variety of ways.I tend to make it as written in the recipe card below for breakfast, brunch or to serve with dinner and add a little glaze to leftovers for dessert.
  • Add Fruits – Fresh or dried! Apples, cranberries, strawberries, oranges, the options are endless!
  • Add Nuts – Walnuts, pecans or even candied nuts are a delicious addition.
  • Brown Sugar – Make it with brown sugar (see my Brown Sugar Bread recipe) for richer flavor.
  • Add Chocolate Chips
  • Experiment with Extracts – Add an extract like vanilla, lemon or almond

To Store

  • Room Temperature – Store quick breadin a sealed plastic bag or covered in saran wrapat room temperature for up to 5 days.
  • Refrigerate – Up to 1 week in an airtight container.
  • Freeze – Wrap them tightly in heavy foil, saran wrap or place them in freezer bags (I like to do at least 2 to prevent freezer odors from seeping in), and freeze for up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature to serve.

Video

Calories: 211kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 112mg | Potassium: 155mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 53IU | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 1mg

Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.

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Simple Sweet Bread Recipe | Julie Blanner (2024)

FAQs

What is the best sugar for homemade bread? ›

Many bread recipe call for white sugar. It's cheap and easy and doesn't add much flavor except pure sweetness. Raw cane sugar and brown sugar add a little more flavor and color. They also contain trace minerals not found in refined white sugar.

What makes bread super soft and fluffy? ›

Milk powder.

Instant milk powder makes bread dough super soft and fluffy and also helps to give it a good rise. It also contributes to the dough staying nice and soft after baking for a little longer than a recipe that does not use milk powder.

What is the difference between quick bread and sweet bread? ›

"Quick bread" is a term used to describe any and all breads that are made without yeast as a leavening agent. They are leavened chemically, usually with baking powder or baking soda, and can be with sweet or savory. Technically, most sweet breads (section 8) are also quick breads.

How long does homemade sweet bread last? ›

Baker says the best place to store bread is at room temperature. "Homemade bread stored at room temperature will have the best quality if used within three to five days," she says.

Is granulated or powdered sugar better for baking? ›

It is not recommended to substitute powdered sugar for granulated sugar. Since powdered sugar has a much finer texture, and it contains a small percentage of cornstarch to prevent caking, substituting can give you unexpected results.

What sugar does yeast like best? ›

Glucose is the preferred substrate of yeast [1,41]. In this study, at least 23.6 ± 2.6% of the total amount of glucose released from the sucrose or fructan was consumed. The residual glucose and fructose remained in the final product.

How do bakeries get their bread so soft? ›

Commercial bread is softer due to the steam process used by bakeries, which is made to keep bread hydrated and fresh. Use cold water in a pan and put it on a rack beneath your bread to create steam.

What ingredient makes bread light and fluffy? ›

Sugar: When yeast is mixed with sugar it consumes the sugar and produces carbon dioxide gas, which causes the bread dough to rise and become light and airy. Instant Yeast: Instant dry yeast can be added directly to the flour mixture without needing to be activated first.

What's the purpose of an egg in a quick bread? ›

By surrounding small particles of fat, the egg helps make the quick bread batter smoother, thus contributing to volume and texture. In addition, when eggs are beaten, they incorporate tiny air bubbles that expand with heat in the oven, contributing to volume.

What is sweet bread called? ›

Sweet bread, also referred to as pan dulce, buns, or coffee bread, is a bread or cake that is typically sweet in flavor. Some sweet breads, such as Portuguese pão doce, may be prepared with potato flour, which imparts a sweet flavor and light texture to them.

What are the 7 basic ingredients for quick bread? ›

  • Flour. Gives baked goods- Structure.
  • Liquids/Milk. Gives baked goods-Moisture & helps combine ingredients.
  • Chemical Leavening Agents (baking soda, powder) Make quick breads quick- Produces carbon dioxide, leavens baked product.
  • Fat. Gives baked goods-Flavor, tenderness.
  • Eggs. ...
  • Salt. ...
  • Sugar. ...
  • Shortening.

Is it cheaper to make your own bread? ›

In a nutshell, if you're buying basic, cheap sandwich bread, it's probably cheaper than you can make it at home. But if you compare two loaves similar to what you could make at home — one made with high-quality ingredients as opposed to one made with lesser quality ingredients — home baking becomes much cheaper.

What can I add to my homemade bread to make it last longer? ›

Honey and pectin.

Who would have thought those two little ingredients would make a difference but they have. It was as simple as replacing the sugar with honey and adding 1 teaspoon of fruit pectin for every cup of flour in a recipe.

Can you leave sweet bread out overnight? ›

While it's safe to keep many baked goods at room temperature, it depends on the item and should be taken on a case-by-case basis. For instance, breads and rolls can last up to four days at room temperature, but any bread with meat or hard-boiled eggs should be refrigerated within two hours, according to the USDA.

What sugar is used in bread? ›

White or brown sugar can be used in bread making and will not affect the liquid ratio of your recipe. If added in moderation (1-2 Tablespoons) to your 1-2 lb. loaf will feed the yeast but will not make your loaf sweet. So if your watching your sugar intake this is a good ratio if you just want to feed the yeast.

What sort of sugar for bread? ›

Sometimes referred to as table or white sugar, granulated sugar is a highly refined cane or beet sugar (all of the natural molasses has been removed). When stored properly, the fine crystals in granulated sugar will not cake together, making it ideal for measuring and baking breads, cookies, pies, and cakes.

What is the healthiest sugar to use in baking? ›

Baking & Cooking With Natural Sweeteners
  1. Maple Crystals or Maple Syrup. Health information: Maple syrup is a terrific sugar substitute for baking, but you might not be familiar with the dehydrated maple crystals from maple tree sap. ...
  2. Coconut Sugar. ...
  3. Monk Fruit Extract* ...
  4. Blackstrap Molasses. ...
  5. Jerusalem Artichoke. ...
  6. Stevia*

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