My Top Picks Winter Favorites

Candy Cane Chocolate Bread

Source: Taste of Home

Perfect during the holidays or for Christmas morning

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbls. butter, softened
  • 1/2 + 1/3 c. light brown sugar
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1 egg
  • 6 Tbls. strong brewed coffee
  • 1/8 c. canola oil
  • ¼ c. low-fat vanilla yogurt
  • 1-1/2 t. vanilla extract
  • 1/4 t. peppermint extract
  • 1-3/4 c. unbleached all-purpose white flour
  • 6 Tbls. baking cocoa
  • ¾ t. baking soda
  • ¼ t. salt
  • ¾ c. low fat buttermilk
  • ½ c. mini semisweet chocolate chips

Topping

  • ½ c. white melting or baking chips (Ghirardelli)
  • 8 mini candy canes, crushed

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 1 large or 3 mini loaf pans with cooking spray and dust with a little flour, set aside.

In a bowl, beat butter and brown sugar until crumbly, about 2 minutes. Add egg whites, eggs, coffee, yogurt, oil and extracts until blended.

In another bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add to sugar mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition. Fold in chocolate chips.

Transfer batter to prepared pans. Bake 35-40 minutes for 3 mini loaf pans (about 50 minutes for large loaf pan) or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

Topping: Melt white chocolate baking chips in microwave, using a small glass bowl. Use your microwave "Melt" instructions for melting chocolate. Stir and drizzle over loaves. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes.

Let sit until topping hardens, then wrap well in foil. If freezing, wrap foil loaves in saran wrap, then put in a large zip-lock bag.

NOTE: Original recipe made (3) 8x4-inch loaf pans, so double this recipe if you want the larger loaves or more mini loaves.

This bread also freezes well.