Quick Bread Loaves: Quick breads are leavened with a chemical leavener instead of yeast, such as baking soda, baking powder or both,  hence the name "quick bread". Made from a batter, quick-breads are baked in a loaf-like shape and have a characteristic crack down the middle, developed during baking, which is normal. The batter for any loaf-type quick bread can also be baked as muffins or mini-loaves.

To mix with the Muffin Mix Method: Do so by hand with a large spoon. Do NOT overmix. NEVER use an electric mixer because it will overmix the batter, making a dense and flavorless bread. 

With a large mixing spoon (wooden, metal, etc): 

1. Combine dry ingredients in one bowl;

2. Combine wet ingredients in another bowl; Then,

3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry (or vice versa). Combine with a spoon until JUST combined.

4. Batter will look lumpy with wisps of flour showing. Don't mix so much that the batter becomes homogenous and smooth.

In quick bread recipes, as are muffins, the dry and wet ingredients are combined and quickly mixed by hand in what is called the Muffin Mix Method. This is done to shorten the length of time that they have contact with one another and are stirred so as not to create excess gluten, a toughener. This is the opposite of yeast bread recipes that require kneading to develop the gluten. 

If butter or shortening is used. Made with butter, the loaves will be more compact while shortening makes the most moist and tender bread (but, I always use butter). These types of fats, also known as shorteners, tenderizes the gluten strands.   

Some Quick-Bread Loaf Tips: (See also, MAKING BANANA BREAD, STEP-BY-STEP) 

Chop, shred or mash fruits, vegetables or nuts before you start making the batter. If you start the batter and then stop to chop, the moistened leaveners will continue to release carbon dioxide gas, and will have less leavening power left for baking. Hold back on using up extra amounts of fruits or vegetables; the extras can make a heavy, damp loaf that sometimes won't bake in the middle.

Quick breads are not limited to the standard 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan. I prefer the smaller 4-inch by 7-inch baking loaf pan. I find that the loaves bake higher and you don't seem to run into the "gooey-middle" and over-browned exterior. 

I also like to bake different sized mini-loaves. My absolute favorite pan is a half size angel-food style pan, also made by Wilton. This recipe will make one small angel-food tube pan, and it is pretty enough to use for a fancier luncheon, brunch buffet or tea.

As with any baking recipe, start checking for doneness about 10 minutes before the baking time is up. (See more, below).

When you remove the pan from the oven, let it sit for 10 minutes and then unmold to a wire cake rack. If meant to be eaten from the pan, leave as is and let cool. The bread should still be quite warm when you remove it from its pan. Sometimes the bread sticks to the pan and you can't get it out. If it does, hold the pan upright and give it a couple of sharp, downward jerks, then try again. If it's really obstinate, loosen the bread by sliding a table knife around the edge of the loaf, in the fine hairline crack between the bread and the pan.

Cool quick breads completely before slicing; cutting while warm is one of the chief reasons for crumbling. Even better, store them tightly covered at room temperature for 24 hours for easier cutting. Cut with a sharp, thin-bladed knife, using a light sawing motion. Or, after cooling, wrap loaves tightly and store them in the fridge for up to a week or freeze up to 3 months.