Kale and Cheese Quick Bread

This slightly sweet kale bread was made for this week’s reddit 52 weeks of baking challenge. It’s quick bread week, and I predict that we will see a lot of banana breads.

I was also actually planning to make a banana bread at first. But then I realized that a kale bread would an easy stand-in for a copycat babka that a friend has asked me to make.

the loaf of slightly sweet cheese and kale bread, three slices, and a knife

Don’t get fooled by the kale in this slightly sweet kale and cheese quick bread. There’s very little else healthy about it.

Ratios for baking quick breads and other things

When I was contemplating which quick bread to make, I did a bit of googling and reading. I knew that pound cakes like my chocolate chip loaf cake and coffee and walnut loaf cake have a standard formula that’s one pound each of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour. I didn’t know that quick breads also have a classic baking ratio.

In his book, Ratio, Michael Ruhlman describes the ratio for quick breads. By weight, it’s two parts flour to two parts liquid to one part egg to one part butter. And one part is another reason to get a kitchen scale!

The Food Network has gone away from these ratios and created a mix-and-match formula that anyone can use to create their own quick bread recipes. Scroll down to check out their list of 50 quick breads – I think I might want to bake everything on that list.

Grated cheese and kale for the kale quick bread.

FAQs about this sweet kale bread recipe

What cheese should I use for this quick bread?

Feel free to use any hard cheese like cheddar, Monterey Jack, Parmesan, etc.

Can I substitute other greens for the kale?

Sure. This quick bread would work with spinach or most any other herbs.

I don’t have buttermilk. Is there a substitute?

You could replace the buttermilk with yogurt or milk. Just don’t be put off by the fact that the batter seems too stiff. I promise that it turns out right in the end.

How would you serve this kale and cheese loaf?

With the butter and the gruyère and the salty parmesan, this quick bread makes a great appetizer to pair with a dry martini. Or have it for breakfast with scrambled eggs.

Do I need to adjust the baking time if I bake two loaves?

No. You only would if you made it as one big loaf. Or reduce it if you’re making small ones or turn this recipe into kale muffins.

My garden is overflowing with kale. Could I freeze the kale and make this loaf in the winter?

Greens don’t freeze particularly well straight. It would be better to make this recipe and freeze the loaf. Once it cools, double wrap it in plastic wrap, put it in a freezer bag, and remove all the air. It will keep in the freezer for about three months.

unbaked cheese and kale bread batter in a loaf pan.
the baked kale and cheese quick bread in the loaf pan.

Kale and Cheese Quick Bread

5 from 1 vote
Category: Snack
Cuisine: Unspecified
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 9
Calories: 284kcal
This kale and cheese quick bread is slightly sweet and packed with kale and cheese.
Print Recipe

Equipment

  • 8½ by 4½ inch loaf pan

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (250 grams) bleached, all-purpose flour plus more for dusting the loaf pan
  • 1 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teasspon salt
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted plus more for greasing the pan
  • ½ cup buttermilk
  • 2 eggs
  • 4 ounces hard cheese (e.g. gruyere, cheddar, or swiss), shredded
  • ½ cup chopped kale (about two large leaves) stems removed and discarded
  • 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Butter and flour an 8½ by 4½ in loaf pan.
  • In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
    2 cups (250 grams) bleached, all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoons granulated sugar, 2 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teasspon salt
  • In a small bowl (or in the measuring cup for the buttermilk), combine the buttermilk, egg, and melted butter.
    8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, ½ cup buttermilk, 2 eggs
  • Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix only until just combined. Do not overmix. It will be quite thick.
  • Add in the shredded gruyere and chopped kale, mix until distributed throughout, and put into the prepared loaf pan.
    4 ounces hard cheese (e.g. gruyere, cheddar, or swiss), shredded, ½ cup chopped kale (about two large leaves) stems removed and discarded
  • Top with Parmesan.
    1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated
  • Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the Parmesan is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then remove from the pan and cool.

Nutrition

Calories: 284kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 370mg | Potassium: 90mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 902IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 254mg | Iron: 2mg
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What’s next

If you make this kale and cheese quick bread recipe, please leave a comment and rating here.

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Previous challenges:
Week 1: New Year new recipe – blueberry galette
Week 2: seasonal – Smitten Kitchen’s grapefruit pound cake
Week 3: Great British Bake Off – Kate’s sticky toffee apple caramel cake
Week 4: Australia – sausage rolls
Week 5: bite sized – cookies
Week 6: Chinese New Year – mushroom bao
Week 7: new tool – baguette baker
Week 8: chocolate – chocolate peanut butter bonbons
Week 9: timed bake – under 1 hour! chocolate chip scones
Week 10: allergy/diet restriction – macarons

Next week: signature bake

dinosaur cookie jar on a slice of kale and cheese quick bread with quick bread in colorful letters.

5 Comments

  1. I love a good quick bread and this combo sounds insane!! I have all of the ingredients at home, so I am definitely giving this a go. Thank you so much for the recipe 🙂

  2. Your bread recipe sounds amazingly delicious, and I can almost guarantee it will be a massive hit with my family. Have a wonderful weekend! I’m looking forward to your new News Letter!
    Heidy M

  3. This quick bread looks delicious, and I like that you added kale to it. I am looking forward to trying it!

  4. This cheesy kale bread looks delicious. Love cheesy breads. I never knew about quick bread ratios as well. Thanks for sharing

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