No Yeast

• Quick breads don't use yeast. Instead, they use baking powder, baking soda, or a combination of the two to leaven the dough and make it rise. These leavening agents are fast acting, unlike yeast, which needs more time --- sometimes several hours --- to develop. Quick breads can go straight from the mixing bowl to the pan to the oven, since baking soda and baking power start working right away to expand the dough.
  
  

No Kneading

• While yeast breads require vigorous kneading to develop the gluten in the flour and achieve a fine texture, quick breads aren't as fussy. Most quick breads contain more liquid than yeast breads, and they have a softer, more cake-like texture. Usually, you only need to mix quick breads long enough to combine the ingredients. Too much mixing with quick breads can actually make them tougher.
  
  

Faster Preparation

• As the name implies, quick breads are faster to prepare than yeast breads. You don't have to wait for the bread to rise and you don't have to knead them. Mix them and pop them in the oven. They'll be done in 30 to 55 minutes, depending on the recipe and the size of the pan. This makes quick breads a good option for breakfast --- they can bake while you're in the shower. Or serve them with dinner, when they can cook alongside pork chops or potatoes in the oven.
  
  

Quick Bread Tips

• Grease the top and sides of bread pans or muffin tins to help keep your quick bread from sticking. Use paper muffin liners for muffins and grease these also. Don't overfill the pans. Bread pans and muffin pans should only be filled two-thirds full to allow room for the quick bread batter to rise. Sift or whisk together dry ingredients and add them to the creamed wet ingredients when mixing your batter. Test for doneness by sticking a toothpick in the center of the bread. It should come out clean. Cool the bread for five minutes in the pan, then turn it out onto a baking rack to finish cooling.