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This fruit or veg quick bread master recipe comes straight from my book, Baker Bettie’s Better Baking Book. It is completely customizable to make things like banana bread, zucchini bread, apple muffins, carrot muffins, and endless more variations.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Variation of the Fruit or Veg Quick Bread Master Recipe

Overview

One of the key features of my new book, Baker Bettie’s Better Baking Book, is that all of the recipes are master recipes. This means they are completely customizable. It is so fun to be able to make endless variations of baked goods all from one recipe.

Today I’m sharing with you perhaps my favorite customizable recipe from the book: The Fruit or Veg Quick Bread Master Recipe. This recipe can be used to make muffins or a loaf and makes the most perfect banana bread, zucchini bread, carrot muffins, pumpkin muffins, cinnamon apple bread, and the list goes on and on.

Zucchini Muffin Flavor Variation of the Fruit or Veg Quick Bread Master Recipe

How to Make a Batter Bread

A batter bread is a quick bread that is made from a batter rather than a dough. This includes things like muffins and quick loaf breads like banana bread or zucchini bread.

The mixing method utilized to make batter breads is called The Muffin Mixing Method and it is actually quite simple to execute. It involves mixing the dry ingredients in one bowl, the wet ingredients in a separate bowl, and then combining them together.

It was very important to me to have tons of step-by-step photos in the book. Each recipe section includes detailed images and written instructions reviewing the mixing method that will be used for the following recipes.

My hope is that this will help you connect the dots with other recipes to see patterns of mixing methods and feel more confident when tackling new recipes.

How to Make a Flavor Variation of a Master Recipe

  • The following recipe in this post is a master recipe, also sometimes referred to as a base recipe. Think of it as a blank canvas for you to flavor however you like!
  • This particular master recipe calls for you to choose a fruit or vegetable base. This is the only required section of the flavor chart that you must use.
  • Once you choose your base flavor, you can choose to add spices, extracts, solid mix-ins, and a topping if you like. The flavor chart is by no means comprehensive but should help guide you to decide what flavors to use.
  • You can also choose to make this recipe as muffins or a loaf. The possibilities are truly endless!

Get Your Copy!

Baker Bettie’s Better Baking Book is available at all major book retailers! Get your copy today!

AMAZON
BARNES & NOBLE
BOOKSHOP
CHAPTERS INDIGO
INDIEBOUND
TARGET

Flavoring Your Batter

Use this chart of flavoring options as a guide for flavoring your bread. Mix and match as you like.

Fruit or Veg Base

(required, choose one base for your batter)

  • 480 grams (2 cups) mashed ripe banana
  • 480 grams (2 cups) pumpkin puree
  • 225 grams (2 cups) shredded carrot
  • 225 grams (2 cups) shredded apple (peel can be left on or taken off)
  • 225 grams (2 cups) shredded zucchini (courgette) or yellow summer squash (peeled or unpeeled)

Extracts & Zests

(use 1-2 of these if desired)

  • ½ teaspoon almond extract 
  • ¼ teaspoon anise extract
  • 2 tablespoons lemon, lime, or orange juice + 2 tablespoons lemon, lime, or orange zest

Solid Mix-ins

(use up to 2 ½  cups total solid mix-ins if desired. Choose as many as you like within this volume. Recommended to only use up to 2 cups of any single mix-in) 

  • chocolate chips or chunks (milk, semi-sweet, dark, white)
  • chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds, pistachios)
  • oats (only use up to 1 cup, old-fashioned or quick oats)
  • dried fruit (cranberries, cherries, raisins, currants)
  • shredded coconut

Spices

(use up to 2 ½ teaspoons of combined spices if desired)

  • 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon clove
  • ¼ teaspoon allspice
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice 
  • 2 teaspoons apple pie spice

Topping Options

(use one of these toppings if desired)

  • sugar topping (granulated or coarse sugar like turbinado sugar, sprinkle liberally on tops before baking) 
  • streusel topping (add to tops right before baking)
  • powdered sugar glaze (page , drizzle over tops after cooled)
Fruit or Veg Quick Bread Master Recipe
Yield: Varies

Fruit or Veg Quick Bread Master Recipe

Fruit and vegetable quick breads (like banana bread or zucchini bread) are incredibly versatile and forgiving. This is one of my favorite master recipes to work from because it is so versatile!

Ingredients

  • 240 grams (2 cups) all-purpose flour
  • 200 grams (1 cup) granulated sugar
  • 10 grams (1 tablespoon) baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 113 grams (½ cup, 120 milliliters) neutral oil (vegetable, canola, safflower, grapeseed)
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 85 grams (6 tablespoons, 90 milliliters) milk (skim, 1%, 2%, whole, or dairy-free), room temperature
  • 2 cups vegetable or fruit base (see the preceding flavor chart for ideas and weight measurements)

Instructions

This is a master recipe meant to be used to make a wide variety of flavor variations. Proceeding the recipe you will find a flavor chart with ideas on how to customize your batter. You can also find some flavor variation suggestions in the note section at the end of the recipe.

Prep:

  1. At least 30 minutes before baking, measure out the milk (85 grams/ 6 tablespoons) and set it out with the eggs (2 large) to come to room temperature. Measure out the rest of the ingredients. 
  2. Position an oven rack to the center position. Preheat the oven to 400°F/205°C if making muffins and 350°F/175°C if making a loaf. 
  3. Prep your muffin tin(s) with muffin liners (the base recipe will make about 10 muffins and if you add 2 ½ cups of optional mix-ins it will make 14-16 muffins). Alternatively, prep an 8.5 x 4.5-inch (22 x 11-cm) loaf pan with parchment paper or non-stick spray. 

To Make the Batter:

  1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour (240 grams/ 2 cups), sugar (200 grams/ 1 cup), baking powder (10 grams/ 1 tablespoon), salt (½ teaspoon) and any spices if using.  
  2. In a separate bowl, lightly whisk together the oil (113 grams/ ½ cup), eggs, vanilla extract (2 teaspoons), milk, vegetable or fruit base (2 cups), and any extracts, juices, and/or zests if using until well combined. 
  3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredient bowl. 
  4. Stir with a spoon or silicone spatula until just combined. This should only take about 30-45 seconds of mixing. The batter will be pretty thick and lumpy. Do not over-mix or the bread will become tough. 
  5. If using any solid mix-ins, gently fold them into the batter. 
  6. Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups, leaving about ½-inch from the top, or pour into your loaf tin. If using, sprinkle the sugar or streusel topping liberally on each muffin or on top of your loaf. 
  7. For muffins, bake at 400°F/205°C for 16-20 minutes or for a loaf, bake at 350°F/175°C for 60-70 minutes until lightly golden brown and the tops spring back when gently pushed or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Check on your bake at about the halfway mark, and if it looks as though it is not baking evenly, rotate the pan. 
  8. For muffins, set the muffin trays on a cooling rack to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. For a loaf, transfer the baked loaf out of the pan onto a cooling rack about 10 minutes after taking it out of the oven. Let it cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing. This will help the texture of the bread to solidify.
  9. If using a glaze, drizzle it on right before serving. 
  10. Store uneaten muffins or bread covered in foil or plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Notes

Flavor Variation Ideas

  • Chocolate Chip Banana Bread/Muffins: Use mashed banana as the base ingredient. Use dark brown sugar in place of the granulated sugar. Add 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, and 175 grams (1 cup) mini chocolate chips to the batter. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar before baking. 
  • Zucchini Bread/Muffins: Use shredded zucchini as the base ingredient, add 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, and 100 grams (1 cup) toasted chopped walnuts to the batter. 
  • Loaded Carrot Bread/Muffins: Use shredded carrot as the base ingredient, add 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon, 1 ½ tablespoon orange zest, 2 tablespoons orange juice, 100 grams (1 cups) toasted chopped pecans (page ), 150 grams (1 cup) raisins, and 50 grams (½ cup) shredded sweetened coconut to the batter.
  • Apple Spice Oat Bread/Muffins: Use shredded apple as the base ingredient, add 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, ½ teaspoon ginger, and 100 grams (1 cup) oats to the batter. Top with streusel topping before baking.

© Baker Bettie