Walnut Streusel Quick Bread

September 19, 2012 // By : amybites // Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

This week, I’ve been wallowing in my sickness and bachelorettehood (I have a cold and my boyfriend’s been out of town). However, I just had to pop in and share a quick recipe with you. Bad news: no step-by-step photos because obviously, that would interfere with my quality wallowing time. The good news is that this recipe is super easy. Oh—and sorry, boyfriend, but there is none of this bread left for you when you get home tomorrow. Oops!
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You know when you get a new issue of a food magazine, flipping through casually, and there’s always one recipe that stops you in your tracks and you say, “I have to make this right now“? This was that recipe when I downloaded the new issue of Cooking Light on my iPad this past weekend. They had a whole section on quick breads, and they all looked amazing, but I just had a feeling about this one. This bread is basically a loaf coffee cake, which means I’m 100% on board. It reminds me of my mom’s coffee cake, which is the best thing to be reminded of. As soon as I read the ingredient list, I literally stood up, took the iPad into the kitchen, and started baking.

Look at the carmelization on this streusel. It’s a beautiful thing. The base is light, delicately sweet, and spongey, and obviously streusel makes everything better. The walnut-oat streusel is a little unique and completely delicious. The top layer of walnut-cinnamon streusel creates a crunchy, crumbly crust on with a little bit of chew from the oats, and the middle layer of streusel creates sweet, moist swirls throughout the bread. Hit the jump for the recipe!

Walnut Streusel Quick Bread

From Cooking Light
Yield: 1 loaf, 16 slices

Streusel:

  • 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Dash of salt
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts

Bread:

  • 9 ounces all-purpose flour (about 2 cups)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 5 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup fat-free buttermilk
  • Baking spray with flour (such as Baker’s Joy)
  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. To prepare streusel, combine first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add 2 tablespoons melted butter, stirring until well combined. Stir in nuts. Set aside.
  3. To prepare bread, weigh or lightly spoon 9 ounces flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Combine 5 tablespoons butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium-high speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition; beat in vanilla. Beating at low speed, add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; beat just until combined. Scrape half of batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with baking spray; sprinkle with half of streusel mixture. Spread remaining batter over streusel; swirl. Sprinkle remaining streusel on top of batter. Bake at 350° for 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs clinging. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Remove from pan; cool completely on wire rack.

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