Quick and Easy Beer Bread

After my brother’s engagement party, my family was left with an almost full refrigerator of beer.  So it has been a constant battle to get rid of the beer by either giving it away (which no one seems to want) or cooking with it.  Drinking it is out of the question.   We aren’t beer drinkers at all.

One of the most clever ways to get rid of a bottle of beer is to make beer bread.  All it take is flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, butter, and beer, plus any addition ingredients to add a unique flavor.  I added lemon zest to compliment the beer I used, but you could add bacon, cheddar, onions, or various herbs.  It is really up to you what you want it to taste like.

This was the best beer bread that I have ever had.  Because of the 1/2 stick of butter you pour on top, the bread was super buttery and delicious.  It also wasn't dense like most beer bread can be, it was light and fluffy with a great texture.  

Quick and Easy Beer Bread

Adapted from Dine and Dash

Yield: 1 (9”x5”) loaf

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Bake Time: 50-55 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 cups flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 12 ounces beer, any kind
• 1/2 stick butter, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and lemon zest.
3. Add beer and stir until well incorporated. Be careful not to over mix.
4. Spray loaf pan with cooking spray and pour batter into pan, the batter will be lumpy.
5. Pour melted butter over the top of the batter.
6. Bake for 50-55 minutes, until golden brown, and a toothpick poked in the center comes out clean.
7. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes before removing from pan.