SPICED BUTTERNUT AND PECAN LOAF
750ml flour
250ml light brown sugar
20ml baking powder
5ml mixed spice
5ml salt
100g pecan nuts, chopped
4 eggs
125ml oil
250ml cooked and mashed butternut, drained
Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, mixed spice and salt into a mixing bowl.
Stir in the nuts.
Combine eggs, oil and butternut and beat together with a fork.
Add to dry ingredients and mix until combined.
Take care not to overmix.
Spoon mixture into a greased and lined 23cm x 13cm loaf pan.
Bake at 180ºC for 50-60 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Leave in pan for 5 minutes before turning on to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Serve buttered.
EASY CHERRY LOAF
125g butter, softened
180ml castor sugar
10-15ml finely grated lemon rind
2 extra large eggs
375ml flour
10ml baking powder
125ml milk
125g glacé cherries, chopped
15ml extra flour
GLACÉ ICING
250ml icing sugar
20ml lemon or orange juice
little extra water if needed
extra glacé cherries for decoration if desired
Combine butter, sugar and lemon rind in a mixing bowl and beat until light and creamy.
Add eggs gradually, beating after each addition. Sift flour and baking powder together and add alternately with the milk to the creamed mixture. Rinse cherries in a sieve and dry well on a paper towel. Toss cherries in 15ml extra flour, and fold into batter. Spoon batter into a greased and lined 22cm x 11cm loaf pan, and bake at 180ºC for 40-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Allow to cool, then drizzle with icing and decorate with extra cherries.
ICING: Sift icing sugar into a bowl and add enough water to make a thick but still runny icing.
GLAZED LEMON AND POPPY SEED LOAF
Pictures: Steve Lawrence
180g butter, softened
250ml castor sugar
grated rind of 1 large lemon
6 extra large eggs
375ml flour, sifted
10ml baking powder
200g desiccated coconut
30ml poppy seeds
SYRUP
300ml sugar
80ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
125ml water
Cream the butter, castor sugar and rind in a large bowl until light and creamy. Add the eggs, sifted flour, baking powder and coconut.
Beat together for one minute on medium speed with an electric beater until well mixed.
Add the poppy seeds. Spoon the mixture into a greased and lined 28 x 13cm loaf pan and bake at 170ºC for 45 to 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove the loaf from the oven and pour over the warm syrup. Leave to stand for about 5 minutes before removing from the pan and placing on a cooling rack to cool. Drizzle with glacé icing.
SYRUP: Combine the sugar, lemon juice and water in a saucepan and dissolve slowly over a low heat.
Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
TROPICAL LOAF
750ml flour
15ml baking powder
pinch of salt
250ml light brown sugar
250ml flaked coconut, toasted
375ml milk
125ml oil
1 egg, beaten
5ml vanilla
250g dates, chopped
250ml finely chopped fresh apple
Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl and stir in sugar and coconut.
Combine milk, oil, egg and vanilla in a jug and beat lightly with a fork. Add this to flour mixture and mix well. Stir in dates and apple.
Spoon mixture into greased and lined 28cm x 11cm loaf pan and bake at 180ºC for 50-60 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Allow to cool in pan for five minutes before turning on to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Saturday Star