Chai-Spiced Bread

I came cross this recipe in my stash last week. You know the stash. That pile of recipes you’ve got clipped from magazines and online recipe sites or scribbled down on an envelope by Aunt Betty. Some people have their stash organized into a binder or even in a Word document or online recipe folder but me, I’ve got the aforementioned sort of stash. I often find recipes in my purse or a book I was reading and that usually reminds me that “hey, I intended to make this last year”.

Well the same thing happened with this recipe. I was organizing my cookbooks on my bakers rack the other day and found this recipe neatly folded up with a bunch of other recipes and stuffed between two cookbooks. A co-worker of mine made this last year and brought it into work. As I recall I had already eaten breakfast that morning but when she came in bearing baked goods, well I just couldn’t resist. It was so yummy that I asked her for the recipe. She brought a cookbook in a few days later and copied it for me. And somehow it ended up um, temporarily misplaced in my stack of cookbooks.

Well it turns out this really is the recipe that almost didn’t happen. I was so excited that I had all the ingredients to make this bread that I baked it soon after I found the recipe. Once it was cooled I went to make the frosting, which I think is essential, and realized I was out of powdered sugar. It was late so I decided I would pick some up the next day. And then I forgot. And then I forgot the next day. So I put the bread in the fridge so it wouldn’t go bad before I actually got around to making the darn frosting. Well I remembered today! I made the frosting tonight and the bread was finally complete. And it is so good! Such an easy quick bread and perfect for Fall.

Chai-Spiced Bread

prep 15 min total time 3 hrs 55 min
makes 1 loaf (16 slices)

Bread

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs
1/2 cup prepared tea or water (any black tea will work)
1/3 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
3 to 5 teaspoons milk
Additional ground cinnamon

1. Heat oven to 350 F. Grease bottom only of 8×4- or 9×5- inch loaf pan with shortening or cooking spray.

2. In large bowl, beat granulated sugar and butter with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Beat in eggs, tea, 1/3 cup milk, and 2 teaspoons vanilla on low speed until all ingredients are well combined (will appear curdled). Stir in remaining bread ingredients just until moistened. Spread in pan.

3. Bake 50-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (do not under bake). Cool 10 minutes in pan on wire rack. Loosen sides of loaf from pan; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool 30 minutes.

4. In small bowl, stir powdered sugar, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, and 3 teaspoons of the milk, adding more milk by teaspoonfuls, until spreadable. Spread glaze over bread. Sprinkle with additional cinnamon. Cool completely, about 2 hours, before slicing. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 10 days.

Betty Crocker Christmas Cookbook, page 150