Quick Breads: No Rise, Quick and Easy

Does your quick bread batter need to rest? Many quick bread recipes suggest you leave the batter to rest before baking. Always curious about the chemistry of baking, I wanted to see if letting a baking powder batter rest for the prescribed 15 minutes before baking would result in a better-textured bread, with a better rise.

I tried a no-rest version of the batter, baked immediately; a second version rested in the pan for 15 minutes, then baked; and a third test rested in the bowl for 15 minutes, then poured into the pan and baked. There was no discernible difference in texture or rise among any of them. So save yourself 15 minutes and bake the bread as soon as the batter is mixed.

NOTE: When making quick breads, if you do not have an electric mixer, the wet and dry ingredients can be beaten by hand in a large bowl. The end result will most certainly be denser but no less delicious.