I never thought I’d hear myself say this, but- enough with the chocolate chip cookies!
I will admit that for one brief moment, I thought about throwing a handful of chocolate chips into this darling quick bread. I slowly released my death grip from the chip bag, and thought better of it.
This quick bread is fuss-free and it has almonds two ways: almond extract and toasted slivered almonds. The almond flavor is actually really subtle, and the gooey raspberry flavor really comes to the front.
This post is also my submission into 28 Cooks’ Behind the Apron- a look into the hearts and minds of elusive food bloggers. I haven’t been so elusive, have I? I kinda let you all up in my business.
Here we are. Behind the apron. No! Not under the apron! Please get out from under there…
That’s me. I look like a hungry maniac. I sometimes eat off the stirring spoons. I started this food blog after seeing a recipe for slice and bake cookies on Smitten Kitchen. I thought- I want to do that! Now!- and Joy the Baker was born. Now I get paid to bake and write about food, and it feels like a good life. Not only that, I’ve met a whole community of people as nutty about food and photography as me.
I feel like I’m just where I’m supposed to be. Thanks for being here with me.
Now, about that bread.
This quick bread recipe originally called for a cup of crushed fresh strawberries. Feel free to throw in some strawberries or blueberries if you’re feeling frisky.
Raspberry Almond Bread
adapted from the best bake sale ever cookbook
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
2 eggs
2 Tablespoons sour cream
1 cup crushed fresh raspberries or strawberries or blueberries
1/3 cup toasted slivered almonds
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray or grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the butter, sugar and almond extract until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the flour and sour cream. Fold in the crushed fruit and almond slivers.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Bake in the center of the oven for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool the bread in the pan for 20 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack, turn right side up and cool completely.
July 15th, 2008 at 10:39 pm
You’re lovely
July 15th, 2008 at 10:57 pm
hi, the bread looks unbelievably delicious, i would love to make that for breakfast! I as just wondering what camera you use, since the pix i take never turn out so yummy looking?
thanks
July 16th, 2008 at 12:23 am
Carsen- Thanks! You’re lovely too. Even if you’re toothless
Abeer- I use a Canon Rebel XSi with a 100mm macro lense. It’s a fabulous camera. I’m very lucky.
July 16th, 2008 at 1:15 am
Awesome looking bread Joy!
July 16th, 2008 at 1:24 am
This is a fun event, I liked seeing you behind (not under) the apron. Raspeberry and almond, I know it’s great just by looking at it. I know what you’re felling towards the ccc, I haven’t baked mine yet (dough in in the fridge) and I think I’m tired of them allready…
July 16th, 2008 at 5:29 am
I don’t think you look like a crazed maniac. I think you look fairly civilized. After all you are using a spoon. And the raspberry quick bread has been bookmarked for me to make at a later date. Yum!
July 16th, 2008 at 6:37 am
That looks wonderful. I love your blog!
July 16th, 2008 at 7:11 am
You would think that by now, I would know not to visit your blog first thing in the AM. Its like sheer torture. From now on, I will not visit until after breakfast has been consumed. What you have on here is always so much better than what I have on hand for breakfast which makes it just so unfair.
Love the pic too babe. Love it!
July 16th, 2008 at 8:10 am
Looks delicious! I am a fool for raspberries.
July 16th, 2008 at 9:04 am
You could turn the simplest things into scrumptilicious looking photographs!!
July 16th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
What a lovely breakfast treat! I can’t wait to make it! Thanks!!
July 16th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
I lick the spoon too! Who can resist!
July 16th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
I am totally in love with this blog.
“Now I get paid to bake and write about food, and it feels like a good life.”
Oh to dream lol One day I will be able to say that of myself.
July 16th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
That looks absolutely mouth watering. And I LOVE licking the spoon…and eating the dough and batter…we’re lucky to get anything actually in the oven when I’m baking. It’s a weakness.
July 16th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
We’d like to invite you to participate in our July berry recipe contest. All competitors will be placed on our blogroll, and the winner will receive a fun prize! Please email me, haleyglasco@gmail.com, if you’re interested. Feel free to check out our blog for more details. (Click on my name in the message header link to visit our blog.
July 16th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
That looks delicious!
Do you think the sour cream could be replaced by yogurt or something? My family never uses sour cream, so it seems a waste to buy an entire package for just 2 tablespoons.
Thanks!
July 16th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
Yes Coline- Feel free to use yogurt instead of sour cream That would do the trick!
July 16th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
Joy I have just found your blog and I love it!! That bread looks to die for, I am going to have to make it soon. I can never make my pics look that good, my stuff always looks like it has exploded, it usually tastes good though. Thank you. Chris
July 16th, 2008 at 5:37 pm
Mlle Joy, you are simply the cutest!!! And that bread is the second cutest. Wow, looks very yummy for tea! Beautiful color.
July 16th, 2008 at 8:48 pm
It’s always interesting to hear why people started blogging.
Good looking bread.
July 17th, 2008 at 12:05 am
nice looking bread–no wonder you had to take a taste!
July 17th, 2008 at 4:27 am
Yum. This looks incredible. The raspberry looks so gooey and dominating, which I love. I’m a pretty terrible baker, so this is really up my alley. It’s straightforward enough to make but multi-dimensional enough to still be interesting.
July 17th, 2008 at 5:40 am
Hilarious - I love it. That bread looks fantastic! PS - You’ve been tagged for a meme, so stop on by for the details!
July 17th, 2008 at 8:41 am
Now thats my kind of bread! This is on the list!!!
July 17th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
This bread looks awesome, I will definitely have to try it.
July 17th, 2008 at 7:14 pm
That bread looks and sounds so good!
July 18th, 2008 at 8:28 am
Cute picture! Since I’m a new blogger, I’ll probably participate - thanks for spreading the word about the Behind the Apron event. I love the bread - Raspberries and almonds sounds like a heavenly combination.
July 18th, 2008 at 9:06 am
Oh my goodness, that looks like all kinds of gooey deliciousness. I love the creamy part of banana bread…this raspberry bread looks like its ALL creamy and delicious
July 18th, 2008 at 10:50 am
I love your recipes and pics! they are so inspiring! thanks for another winner-almonds & cranberries are my fav combo!:)
July 21st, 2008 at 9:09 am
I love your photos. They make me want to eat everything that you are baking.Discovered your site today and boy I am so excited to see all that you have baked.
August 1st, 2008 at 3:04 pm
WOW-This is the best bread, I just found your blog from make and takes and I am so glad I did. I think I am going to have to start going to the gym a lot now. Love your blog and and your behind the apron picture is great. Thanks
August 3rd, 2008 at 8:19 am
I baked it this mornign for a picnic, and it was fantaaaaaaaaaastic !
Everybody loved it !
I will certainely do it again with blueberries.
Thank you so much for this awesome recipe
August 6th, 2008 at 6:05 am
Lovely to “meet” you! That bread looks delicious. I love Smitten Kitchen, too. Paid for blogging? Wow, where do I sign up? Haha.
August 8th, 2008 at 7:58 pm
I have made this four times now with blueberries. I LOVE it, and so does my boyfriend! I substituted Splenda for sugar and 1/2 the flour with some pecan meal to make it more diabetic friendly (he is diabetic) and it still came out super tasty.
September 17th, 2008 at 9:01 pm
Great recipe:) Thanks. It’s the first time for me to bake and I don’t understand when you said:”cool completely”..Do we eat it cold?
November 18th, 2008 at 10:45 am
Could frozen raspberries be used instead of the fresh? Or does this throw things off?