Dark Fruit Nut Loaf

How to make Dark Fruit Nut Loaf Recipe - A country favorite, the variations provide a way to use up overripe bananas and also give you a quick date-nut loaf which is ideal for holiday entertaining, too.

Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients:
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup softened butter or vegetable shortening
2 eggs
3 tablespoons buttermilk
1 cup freshly grated apple
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Method:
Preheat oven to 350F (175C).

Grease a 9" x 5" loaf pan. In a large bowl, beat sugar, butter or shortening and eggs until smooth and light. Stir in buttermilk and grated apple. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a medium-sized bowl.

Stir into egg mixture just until ingredients are blended; do not overmix. Fold in nuts. Pour into greased pan. Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan; cool on a rack.

Variations
Banana-Nut Bread:
Substitute 1 cup mashed bananas for grated apple. Bake as above. Date-Nut Bread: Substitute 1/2 cup packed brown sugar for 2/3 cup granulated sugar. Use 1 egg. Omit buttermilk and grated apple. Pour 1 cup boiling water over 1 cup chopped dates; let cool. Add to batter in place of apple. Bake as above.

Orange-Date Loaf:
Omit buttermilk and grated apple. Add grated peel of 1 orange. Measure juice from the orange. Add water to equal 1 cup. Add to batter in place of apple. Add 1 cup chopped dates. Bake as above.