How to bake a delicious fruity loaf
10th Oct 2018 Recipes
1 min read
Bake a delicious creation and dig into this juicy and fruity loaf: perfect for you and your family to eat as bread or as a refreshing summer cake
Tart blackcurrants make an excellent summer cake that is fruity without being too sweet. Mint adds a fresh, herbal note. When blackcurrants are cheap, buy enough to make a few loaves. The loaves will keep in the freezer for up to two months, check off the list as you go!
Ingredients (Serves 12)
- 340g self-raising flour
- 3tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 115g brown sugar
- 125g fresh blackcurrants
- 3tbsp chopped fresh mint
- 125ml orange juice, or as needed
Method
- Use a 30cm x 11cm loaf tin; grease and line tin with baking parchment. Preheat oven to 180ºC (gas mark 4). Sift flour into a large bowl; rub in butter until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in sugar; make a well in the centre
- Place blackcurrants and mint in the well and pour in the orange juice. Gradually stir dry ingredients into juice mixture until thoroughly combined; the mixture should be soft. Add a little more orange juice, if necessary
- Turn mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the top. Bake for about 75 minutes, or until the cake has risen, has browned and is firm to the touch. If the surface looks as if it is browning too much after about 50 minutes, loosely place a piece of over the top
- Leave the cake to cool in the tin for five minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely. For the best flavour, leave overnight before serving. Cake can be kept in an airtight tin for up to three days
Top tip
If you have berries left over, freeze them for another time. Place in a shallow baking tray and spread them out in a single layer without crushing. Freeze until rock-hard, then pour fruit into freezer bags. For many recipes it is unnecessary to thaw the fruit before using.
Try this, too…
To make a Cranberry Pecan Loaf, use chopped fresh cranberries instead of blackcurrants
To make a Cranberry Pecan Loaf, which is delicious for breakfast or for a mid-morning snack, use chopped fresh cranberries in place of blackcurrants. Add one teaspoon ground cinnamon instead of the mint, sifting it in with the flour. Add 125g chopped pecan nuts with the sugar.
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