I’ve got a small secret to share. On New Year’s Day when I made the spinach dip, my oven already had an occupant basking in its warmth – this glorious Honey Beer Bread.

Which is why when I discovered the frozen spinach in my freezer, I had a serious lightbulb moment. Some of my best spinach dip experiences have involved a good hearty bread as an accompaniment. So, knowing this was already in the oven, I was compelled to make the dip. I didn’t have a choice. The force was too great. The pull too strong.  Thankfully, the dip was a success with altered ingredients and this beautiful, hearty bread arrived on the scene with delightful hints of honey and malt. Together, they made the first day of 2013 a tasty one.

Here is the lovely recipe from lululuathome.com to make one loaf…

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons honey
1 can or bottle of beer
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

Directions:
Preheat over to 350F. Grease a 9″x5″x3″ loaf pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

Using a wooden spoon, stir the beer and honey into the dry ingredients until just mixed.  (Microwave the honey for 5 to 10 seconds beforehand to make it easier to stir in)

Pour half the melted butter into the loaf pan. Then spoon the batter into the pan, and pour the rest of the butter on top of the batter. Use a pastry brush to spread it around.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until top is golden brown and a toothpick/knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Ang’s Note: The batter will be bumpy, giving texture on the top and creating nice crevices for the butter to bake in.