Strawberry, Pear and Vanilla Loaf
Serves: 12
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 70 minutes
½ serves per portion
Recipe courtesy of Cynthia Daniels, Maleny Branch
Ingredients:
- 400g strawberries, chopped
- 2 pears, cored and chopped
- 1 tablespoon caster sugar
- 1 ½ cups wholemeal plain flour
- 1 cup self-raising flour
- 1 teaspoon bicarb soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup milk
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ⅓ cup honey
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 150g strawberries, extra, sliced
- Icing sugar, to dust
Method:
- PREHEAT oven to 180°C. Line a 25cm loaf pan with 3 layers of baking paper, extending the paper 2cm above the edges of the pan.
- PLACE strawberries, pears, sugar and 2 tablespoons of water in a saucepan. Cover, bring to the boil over high heat. Remove lid and reduce heat to medium-low.
- SIMMER stirring occasionally for 10-15 minutes or until strawberries have softened and sauce thickens slightly. Set aside for 20 minutes to cool.
- BLEND fruit mixture until smooth. Allow to cool completely.
- SIFT flours, bicarb soda and cinnamon into a large bowl. Make a well in the centre.
- ADD milk, oil, honey, eggs, vanilla and fruit mixture. Stir well to combine.
- SPOON mixture into prepared pan and level the top.
- ARRANGE slices of extra strawberries, overlapping to completely cover top of batter. Bake for around 1 hour 10 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of loaf comes out clean.
- STAND in pan for 10 minutes. Transfer, top side up, onto wire rack lined with baking paper. Allow to cool completely.
- SERVE dusted with icing sugar.
What's Great About It:
If you have plenty of strawberries in season, this is a beautiful loaf to cook for a morning tea, high-tea or to take to a party. It has extra fibre with all of the strawberries, pears and wholemeal flour added to the recipe. It is also lovely served with a dollop of low-fat Greek yoghurt on top!
