Beer Bread: 2 Ways

I love a good beer bread! It's super easy to make and tastes great. The flavor of the bread will depend a lot on what type of beer you use. For example, a really hoppy beer like an IPA will impart a slightly bitter aftertaste. Use a light beer for a milder flavor (the only reason I ever buy light beer is for cooking!). If you want to check out the vegan-status of your beer, visit Barnivore.

Sun-Dried Tomato and Basil Beer Bread
Makes 1 large loaf

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons fine-grained sea salt
1 tablespoon natural cane sugar (sucanat)
12 oz. ale
2 tablespoons oil from marinated tomatoes or olive oil
1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (oil-packed)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup vegan cheese, optional

Preheat oven to 400° F. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour mix. Gently pour in the beer and oil. Stir together until mixture is nearly combined and add the sun-dried tomatoes and basil. Stir until just combined. Smooth batter into a lightly-oiled 9x5" loaf pan. If using, sprinkle cheese evenly over the top of the loaf. Bake for about 40-45 minutes until loaf sounds hollow when tapped with a knuckle. Immediately remove from pan and allow to cool on a wire rack. Allow bread to cool before slicing.


Variation: Cheddar Beer Bread
Use olive oil instead of oil from marinated sun-dried tomatoes. Omit sun-dried tomato and basil, and stir 1/2 cup vegan cheddar-style cheese into batter instead. Top loaf with 1/2 cup cheddar-style vegan cheese before baking. (So you'll need 1 cup of vegan cheddar-style cheese in total.)

Beer Bread: 2 Ways