Daring Bakers February 2012 - Pineapple Loaf Cake

Up until the beginning of this month I had no idea what a quick bread was. So when I saw the title for the challenge I assumed we were going to make some type of bread. Then when I saw the recipe I thought, "hmm, this is a cake recipe..." I was really confused on the whole quick bread thing and hopped on to google to get some answers. So, what I have learnt so far is that a quick bread has a distinctive method of mixing ingredients and does not use any leaveners like yeast to raise the baked goods.

Blog-checking lines: The Daring Bakers’ February 2012 host was – Lis! Lis stepped in last minute and challenged us to create a quick bread we could call our own. She supplied us with a base recipe and shared some recipes she loves from various websites and encouraged us to build upon them and create new flavor profiles.

Though we were asked to make our own flavors I was hesitant to try anything of my own. I tried two recipes from the net and both were good. I thought the pineapple loaf would be a bit of a problem based on the reviews but that was the recipe that got rave reviews from my tasters.

Recipe Source - Slightly adapted from the Coconut - Pineapple Loaf Cake from Martha Stewart

Ingredients - I have reduced the recipe quantity from the original to fit my loaf pan.

2/3 Cup Sweetened Shredded Coconut

2/3 Stick (approx 80 Gms) Unsalted Butter (at room temperature)

1 Cup All Purpose Flour

1/4 Tsp + 1/8 Tsp Baking Soda

1/4 Tsp + 1/8 Tsp Salt

2/3 Cup Sugar

2 Large Eggs

2/3 Cup Thick Yogurt

6 Pineapple Rings (from a can - Drained and Chopped finely)

Note - Make sure the pineapple is really well drained. Place it on multiple sheets of kitchen towels to remove as much moisture as possible.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9-by-5-inch (8-cup) loaf pan; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
3. Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Reduce speed to low, and alternately add flour mixture in three parts and sour cream in two, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix just until combined (do not overmix).
6. Using a rubber spatula, fold pineapple and coconut into batter. Spoon into prepared pan, and smooth top.
7. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, approx 60 minutes. Let cake cool in pan 15 minutes. Remove from pan, and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Happy Eating!!