We moved house last weekend, and since then it’s been busy, busy, busy, with no chance for a relaxing bake-up… so after beginning my weekend with a 6.5 hour hike, I resolved that this day, Sunday, was to be my Sabbath (for real)… a day when I could do “nothing” (which really means “whatever I damn well feel like”)…
We found, as tends to occur when one is moving house, that there are boxes that have been in storage that contain possessions you had forgotten you owned… this included some old Good Taste Australia mags that we’d bought at an op-shop and promptly forgotten… I was browsing them last night, tagging new recipes I’d like to try… and this is one of them…
This is one healthy cake I can imagine being consumed in place of toast for breakfast; I mean, there’s fruit, eggs and nuts, so why not?
Apricot and carrot loaf
Barely adapted from Good Taste’s original recipe.
I substituted the apricots for peaches, as these are what we had. Also, rather than buying walnuts I decided that the sunflower seeds that had been languishing in the pantry, uneaten, would fit the bill nicely. These substitutions help saved $$ on my grocery bill, because everything else was in stock, in fridge and pantry…
Makes: 1 loaf
This loaf is very moist, and will keep in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Melted butter, for greasing (or a can of canola cooking spray)
110g (2/3 cup) chopped dried apricots (I used dried peaches)
150g (1 cup) self-raising flour
115g (3/4 cup) plain flour
1 tsp mixed spice (I used allspice)
200g (1 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
250g carrots, grated
65g (1/2 cup) chopped walnuts (I used sunflower seeds)
125g butter, melted
3 eggs, lightly whisked
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Preheat oven to 170°C. Brush a 10.5 x 21cm (base measurement) loaf pan with melted butter to grease. Line the base with non-stick baking paper.
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Place the apricots in a medium heat-resistant bowl and cover with boiling water. Stand for 10 minutes. Drain well.
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Sift together the flours and spice into a medium mixing bowl. Stir in the apricots, brown sugar, carrots and walnuts. Add the butter and eggs and use a large metal spoon to combine.
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Spoon into the prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the loaf comes out clean. Stand in the pan for 5 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely.
