Home baked goods are always welcome on any party table or in a gift basket. Recipients of such thoughtful offerings just know a little touch of love is sprinkled into every batch.
Pumpkins, apples, dates, nuts and cranberries are tradition in holiday festivities and what better and easier way to use them than for quick breads. Below are the recipes for an apple bread, a pumpkin cranberry bread, a date/nut bread and a cranberry orange bread. Quick breads freeze well so you can get some holiday baking done early.
APPLE BREAD
3 cups chopped apples
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup chopped nuts or 1 cup rolled oats
2 tsp vanilla
You'll need two bowls
Peel and chop the apples
Combine the apples and sugar
Let sit for 30 minutes
Add the oil and eggs
Beat well
Combine the flour, baking soda and salt
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients
Stir in the nuts (or oats) and vanilla
Dip into 2 greased loaf pans
Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes
Cool before removing from pans
PUMPKIN CRANBERRY BREAD
3 cups sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
4 cups flour
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup cold water
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp nutmeg
2 cups pumpkin
4 eggs
2 cups dried cranberries
You'll need a large bowl
Combine the dry ingredients and sift well to blend
Add the oil, water, pumpkin and eggs and mix thoroughly
Fold in the dried cranberries
Pour into 2 greased loaf pans
Bake at 325 degrees for 60 - 70 minutes
Cool before removing from pans
DATE NUT BREAD
2 cups chopped dates
2 cups boiling water
2 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups chopped nuts
You'll need three bowls
Pour boiling water over dates and baking soda
Set aside
Beat eggs and sugar
Blend in the oil and vanilla
Combine the flour and baking powder
Add dry ingredients alternately with the date mixture to the batter
Fold in the nuts
Pour into 2 greased loaf pans
Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes
Cool before removing from pans
CRANBERRY ORANGE BREAD
2 cups sugar
4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp baking soda
2 tbsp grated orange rind
2 beaten eggs
4 tbsp melted butter
1 cup orange juice
4 tbsp hot water
1 1/2 cup chopped nuts or raisins
2 cups cut up cranberries
You'll need one large bowl
Combine the dry ingredients
Make a hole in the center and add the eggs and wet ingredients
Blend well
Fold in the nuts (or raisins) and the cranberries
Pour into two greased loaf pans
Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes
Cool before removing from pans
