summer baking

I love baking...I think it is in my blood...and around my thighs and hiding my ripped triceps. But, the summer is a hard time to bake when you don't have air conditioning and it is 94 degrees. Despite this, we have a camping week with family ahead and I wanted and needed to bake. I figured if I got started early enough it wouldn't be too beastly. It is 3:36pm and I pulled out the last thing and was able to shut down the oven for today...it is still beastly but worth it!

A fellow baking-fanatic friend of mine has been sharing all of her summer squash recipes since we are up to our eyeballs in zucchini, yellow squash, and q-ball squash from the farm. I have been messing around with one she shared and I am most pleased with the outcome of today's experiment. So, if you have some yellow squash around, grate it up and give this a try...

Original Recipe:

Summer Squash Bread

Beat 3 eggs until fluffy

Beat in:
1 1/2 c sugar
1 c oil
2 tsp vanilla

Sift together in another bowl:
3 c flour
3 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg

Gradually mix flour mixture into egg mixture

Fold in 2 cups shredded yellow squash

Pour into 2 prepared loaf pans. Bake at 325 for 50-60 minutes.

Or this can be poured into a 9 inch x 13 inch pan and baked for 45 minutes.

(This version - I am told - is very cake-like.)


My new version (you gotta start somewhere right?):

Blueberry Squash Bread

Beat 3 eggs until fluffy

Beat in:
1 c turbinado (or raw organic sugar)
3/4 c oil
1 T vanilla

Mix together in another bowl:
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg (I use more like 3/4 tsp because I am not a huge nutmeg fan!)

Gradually mix flour mixture into egg mixture.

Fold in 2 cups shredded yellow squash.

Fold in 1 1/2 c blueberries (mine were frozen)

Pour into 2 prepared loaf pans. Bake at 325 for 50-60 minutes.


I plan on continuing my experimentation with this recipe. I would like to eliminate the wheat flour (including the white) and use an oat or barley flour instead and I would rather use butter than oil so I will figure that out at some point. If you have any suggestions, please share.

Baking is going to be part of what I enjoy in heaven. I am sure of it!