One of the things that I love about Christmas is making handmade or baked gifts for friends. In the past, I have made gifts like this easy peppermint foot soak and 10 minute grape jelly, and this year I am making Christmas Bread Gift Tins. When I was growing up, my mother used to make a bread called ‘hobo’ bread that was baked in soup cans. It was a warm gingerbread-like cake filled with raisins and I loved that cake. I though a quick bread would make such a fun gift to make a bread baked in tins and decorated for Christmas for gifts. The recycled soup cans also make the perfect portable gifting container too!
Since banana bread is something that everyone usually likes, I make banana bread for this gift. However, to make it more of a special bread for Christmas, I added red and green cherries. I think it makes the bread all the most festive!
And be sure to wash and dry out soup cans before you start the recipe. I used 19 oz. soup cans, but you could use any size you like, just be sure to change your baking time accordingly by testing the bread to make sure it is fully cooked.
Here is the recipe I used, but I think you could use your own favourite banana bread recipe, or any quick bread you like. Just be sure to fill your tin 2/3 full with batter and remove from the oven when a tester comes out clean with no batter.
Christmas Bread Recipe
{makes 3-19 oz. soup cans for gifts}
Ingredients
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 sliced red & green cherries
To make:
1. Heat oven to 350. Spray clean and dry soup cans with cooking spray.
2. In large bowl, beat sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat. Add bananas, milk and vanilla and blend well.
3, In small bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Stir well. Add to banana mixture and stir until just combined. Pour into soup cans, filling each soup can approximately 2/3 full.
4. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean with no remaining bits of batter. Cool 5 minutes. Run knife around edges to loosen bread from pan. Remove bread gently to cool. When bread is completely cool, it can be placed back into the tin for gift-giving. {If you leave the bread in the tin, it could possibly sweat and become gooey.}
This is such a fun project to make and kids love to help mix the batter! To prepare the tins for gifting, cover the top with plastic wrap and add some scrapbook paper and twine for a pretty look! I think anyone would love to receive this thoughtful and yummy homemade gift!
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Banana bread is my favourite -yum! Your presentation is so pretty.
The bread looks so pretty in the soup can. I haven't seen that done in years. Definitely something to keep in mind (and a good tip – to take the cake out of the tin to cool so it doesn't go gooey).
Great idea, Angie. Love these!