Breads, biscuits, cakes, cookies and pies. Many of our favorite baked goods can be credited to one essential ingredient: flour. The light powdery substance’s potential is unmatched as it’s transformed into delicious foods.

But not all flours are created equal. Any practiced baker knows there are different kinds of flour including: cake, pastry, bread, self-rising, whole-wheat, gluten-free and the tried and true, all-purpose flour. Each has its own distinct properties including its texture and protein content, which affects the way it behaves in a batter or dough.

And while flour can be derived from a variety of grains, wheat is the most common. In Virginia, most wheat is the soft red winter variety, which is milled into flour for bread, pastries cakes and crackers. The commonwealth’s wheat production is so robust that it ranks 15th among the state’s top commodities, according to 2020 U.S. Department of Agriculture data.

So celebrate National Flour Month and Virginia’s wheat growers by baking a savory homemade bread or flavorful dessert.

Parmesan Garlic Bread

1 package of yeast
¼ cup warm water
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons shortening
2 teaspoons salt
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
5½ cups plain flour
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
¼ cup melted butter
2 teaspoons garlic salt

Soften yeast in water, and scald the milk. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, shortening, salt and pepper. Add the hot milk, and stir until the sugar dissolves and the shortening melts. Stir in about two cups of flour, and beat well. Add the yeast, then stir in the cheese and enough flour to make a soft dough, and stir well. Add more flour until you have a stiff dough.

Remove the dough from the bowl, and knead well until shiny. Shape the dough into a ball and place it into a lightly greased bowl. Cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1½ hours or until the dough is double in size.

Remove dough from the bowl, and gently push the air out of the dough. Divide the dough in half, cover, and let rest for 10 minutes.

Roll out each section of dough into a 10-by-16 inch rectangle. Brush the dough with butter, and sprinkle with the garlic salt. Cut the dough into 4-by-2 inch pieces, stack side-by-side in greased loaf pans, and let rise for 1 hour.

Bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until brown.

Source: Recipe adapted from Josephine Stamper, Smyth County, in Country Treasures from Virginia Farm Bureau Kitchens


Carrot Cake

1½ cups dark brown sugar
¾ cup canola oil
⅓ cup applesauce
3-4 eggs
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon ginger
2½ cups grated carrots
⅓ cup chopped walnuts

For the frosting:

1 cup confectioner’s sugar
12 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
½ teaspoon vanilla

Heat oven to 350°.

Grease and flour a 10-cup Bundt or tube pan.

In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, oil, applesauce and eggs.

In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and ginger. Beat the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until smooth. Add the carrots and walnuts, and mix well.

Pour the batter into the pan, and bake for 45-50 minutes. Cool completely before adding the frosting.

Frosting directions:

In a bowl using an electric mixer, beat the confectioner’s sugar into the cream cheese. Add the vanilla and beat until combined. Spread onto the cooled cake. If desired, top cake with additional crushed walnuts.

Source: Recipe adapted from Frances Adams, Rockingham County, in Cooking Virginia Style with Farm Bureau Women