Photo: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann
Having a complete, hot breakfast before work every day can be life changing. Eggs, toast, cheese, maybe some bacon—this is what the kids call “hashtag goals.” My morning fuel-up usually consists of scalding coffee and a clementine I forgot about, but I deserve more. While quick breakfasts so often err on the side of sweet–muffins, doughnuts, bodega honey buns–I wanted a warm, savory meal with an egg involved. My ideal weekday breakfast is quick to heat up and eat, requires minimal clean-up, and is completely satisfying. Behold: the ultimate savory breakfast loaf cake.
Most “perfect” breakfasts revolve around a few central components; mine includes eggs, bacon, and bread. From there, I can add seasonings and any number of extra ingredients, like cheese, or green veggies. Taking a cue from the Scotch Egg, I wanted something deeply savory with an entire egg in the middle. But instead of wrapping the hardboiled eggs in sausage, I submerged it in a cheesy quick-bread and crowned it with crispy bacon. It’s shareable and streamlined–equally perfect for a wholesome family breakfast or a hungover brunch party with friends. It’s also a genius meal prep move: Store it in the fridge and cut yourself a thick slice before work. Microwave it for 15 seconds and you’ve got a post-modern BEC.
This recipe includes seasonings that I like, but think of the savory quick-bread base as a blank canvas for your favorite flavors. If you don’t like chives, substitute dry minced garlic or some thyme. Hate cayenne? Omit it. Must have Sazón? Add a couple teaspoons. Be discerning when mixing in “hydrated” ingredients, like raw chopped veggies or meats. Most of these have a high-ish water content which, if added as-is, will steam inside of the loaf creating a humid air bubble, a slightly gummy spot, and a hole in your bread. Pre-cooking your add-ins also helps with texture; a firmer ingredient like the stem of a broccoli floret might not cook to your desired doneness without a jump start. (In my recipe, some of the bacon is blended into the batter, but only after I cook it to the crispy stage.)
Sauté any chopped onion, ham, mushrooms, etc., in a pan with a touch of butter or oil until the excess water has cooked off. Set aside your pre-cooked ingredients to cool, then gently fold in during the last stage, after the dry ingredients are just moistened.
Savory Breakfast Loaf Cake (Yield: 1 8.5-inch by 4.5-inch loaf pan)
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour¾ teaspoon salt¾ teaspoon baking powder½ teaspoon baking soda⅛ teaspoon cayenne¼ teaspoon garlic powder2 teaspoons dried chives¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper2 bacon strips (fully cooked and chopped)¾ cup shredded cheddar3 tablespoons butter (melted)1 cup buttermilk (room temperature)1 egg (raw, room temperature)4 eggs (boiled to desired doneness and peeled)7 bacon strips (par-cooked)Preheat your oven to 375℉. Prepare your loaf pan by greasing the sides and bottom, then fit a length of parchment paper inside with a bit of the paper overhanging the edges. Have your 4 boiled and peeled eggs and partially cooked bacon strips ready to go.
In a medium bowl, mix together the first 10 ingredients until evenly distributed. In a smaller bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the melted butter, buttermilk, and single raw egg.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Using a spoon or spatula, gently stir until the dry ingredients are just moistened. If adding pre-cooked veggies, fold them into the mixture now.
Photo: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann
Quickly, evenly spread a third of the mixture into the bottom of the prepared loaf pan. Place the four boiled eggs, side-by-side or however they fit best, on top of the batter. They will be the center of your loaf. Next, spread the remaining two thirds of batter over the eggs, ensuring the mixture completely covers the tops of the eggs and also makes its way down the sides and in between the eggs as much as possible. It should connect to the first amount of batter you put on the bottom.
Photo: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann
Lay the seven par-cooked bacon strips across the top of the loaf in a fancy houndstooth pattern (or however you like). Immediately pop the loaf into the oven and bake at 375℉ for 35 minutes. The loaf should dome on top, spring back when touched, and become toasty-brown, and the bacon strips should be crisped. Gently lift the loaf out of the loaf pan by grabbing the overhanging parchment paper, and allow to cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes, or cool completely before storing it for the week.
Photo: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann
Enjoy fresh out of the oven (I like it with a little hot sauce) or store, wrapped, in the fridge for up to six days. Reheat 1-inch slices in the microwave for 15 second increments (boiled eggs love to explode if microwaved too long) or reheat the entire loaf in the oven, covered in foil and warm at 350℉ for about 15 minutes.
