Not What It Seems: Whole Wheat Beer Bread

I'm a believer in personal responsibility. I don't think that video games are responsible for teenage violence and I don't think that Eminem songs fuel drug addictions and substance abuse.

However, my one exception to that rule is Sex and the City. Sex and the City was one of my favorite shows in college, to the point where my mother used to tape episodes on HBO every week and FedEx them overnight so that my roommate and I could stay up to date with Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda and Samantha. As much as I loved the week after week of cosmopolitans, Manolos and 1997 Roberto Cavalli, Sex and the City painted a grossly innaccurate portrait of what it's like to be young and single in Manhattan.

The truth is that the average woman lives in a small apartment with two or three roommates, not a Park Avenue townhouse. When she's hungover, she has to go to work, not to brunch and on the weekends, she hangs out at sports bars with $4 glasses of wine specials. 

In college, my roommates and I liked to throw get-togethers for our friends in lieu of going out to bars. To this day, I sometimes prefer staying in to going out. In college, one of our party-fare staples was beer bread, which I still make today. 

It pairs well with hot spinach and artichoke dip and a cold adult beverage of choice.  Since my metabolism isn't what it was in college, I lightened the original recipe by reducing the butter and substituting some of white flour for whole wheat. 

Whole Wheat Beer Bread

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 12-ounce can or bottle of light beer or ale
2 teaspoons butter (I prefer unsalted. If all you have on hand is salted, you can omit the salt from the recipe)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan with butter or cooking spray.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Pour in the beer and stir until just incorporated. (The dough will be sticky and heavy).

3. Pour half the melted butter into the bottom of the prepared loaf pan. Spoon in the bread dough and pour the remaining half of the butter on top. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the bumpy top is golden brown. Remove from the pan and serve immediately.

Comments

[Erin]

I still haven't tried beer bread, and I keep seeing recipes everywhere! I'm glad to know you subbed some WW flour with good results!

[thatShortChick]

I JUST discovered the gloriousness of beer bread about 2 weeks ago by sampling a piece in my local grocery store and may or may not have let out a squeal.

I wish me or my mother possessed bread-making skills .

[beyond]

oh gosh, i know exactly what you mean. when i first moved to new york, european friends would tell me: "whenever i see sex and the city i think of you!" at first i would try to explain the reality of things, but after a while i would just smile politely and sigh inwardly.
this bread looks wholesome and yummy.

[kat]

I like this kind of bread with cheese soup!

[kate]

Television rarely depicts life as it is. Look at all the shows about families that offer up the standard hen-pecked husband, the smart aleck kids.....it's why I hardly watch it at all.

That bread looks really good! I may have to try some of that with the next pot of chili.

[Melissa]

Girl, I hear you loud and clear. I just watched some old episodes while I was sick in bed this weekend and had to laugh...who lives like that?! Well, a few people I know, but I digress.

I'm a newbie to your blog and love it already. Will have to give this bread a whirl, and soon!

[Daryl]

I can't believe this coincidence. i made beer bread last night from a mix from Tastefully Simple and it was good but nowhere near as good as the one you make from scratch. This looks beyond good!

[Paula]

It looks delicious (as always!) But can I ask - how much like beer does it taste? Like, I'm not a massive beer fan so I wouldn't want it to taste TOOO beery.

Sorry if this is a dumb question!