Vanilla Bean Bread Recipe, Whats Cooking America (2024)

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Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

1 hr

Author: What's Cooking America

Vanilla Bean Bread:

• 1 1/2cups (3 sticks or cubes)unsalted butter,room temperature*
• 2 1/2cupsVanilla Bean Sugar**
• 1wholevanilla bean***
• 1tablespoonpure vanilla extract
• 8largeeggs,room temperature
• 3cups all-purposeflour
• 1 1/2teaspoonsbaking powder
• 1/2teaspoonsalt

Vanilla Bean Syrup:

• 1 3/4cups granulatedsugar
• 1cupwater
• 2wholevanilla beans,split and seeds scraped out

Vanilla Bean Bread Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place oven rack in center of oven. Generously butter or grease two 9x5-inch loaf pans. HINT: I like to place a piece of parchment paper on the bottoms of the loaf pans. I then grease the tops of them. This helps in removing the bread later.

2. In the bowl of your mixer, cream butter and vanilla sugar until mixture is pale and fluffy. Scrape the vanilla bean seeds into the batter, along with the vanilla extract and eggs; beat to mix.

   

3. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the batter and mix just until smooth (do not over mix). Take the bowl off the mixer and use a spatula to scrape the bottom and fold the mixture a few times, to make sure everything is blended. Divide the batter between the two prepared loaf pans.

4. Bake all quick breads as soon as the ingredients are assembled. Since high temperatures are often called for, it is best to bake them in the center of the oven, as the heat in the top third of the oven will be too intense.

5. Bake for 30 minutes, then turn the pans around, and bake an additional 35 to 40 minutes or until a cake tester or skewer comes out almost clean. NOTE: Be sure and poke the toothpick already to the center of the loaf. A good check is to use an instantdigital thermometerto test your bread. Theinternal temperatureof the bread should be at 200 degrees F. when done.

6. While the loaves bake, prepare the Vanilla Bean Syrup.

7. When loaves are done, remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes on baking racks, then turn them out of their pans and set back on the racks. Place the racks over parchment paper or a baking sheet and brush generously all over tops and sides of the loaves with the Vanilla Syrup. Brush a couple of more times as they cool.

   

8. Storage: Quick breads may be stored for 2 or 3 days, well wrapped in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. May be frozen for longer storage. After thawing frozen breads, reheat them in a 400 degree F. oven for a few minutes before serving.

9. Makes 2 loaves.

Vanilla Bean Syrup Instructions:

1. In a small pan over medium heat, dissolve the sugar in water. Add the vanilla bean seeds and stir a little so the seeds and fragrance disperse. Bring just to a simmer, remove from heat, and let cool.

2. NOTE: This will seem like a lot of syrup, but you will use it as the loaves absorb it up.