Pear Bread, from Gael

Pear Bread, from Gael

From the book "Southern Cakes." Gael made on 6-28-07 for book club. Made two loaves and brought one to work, it quickly vanished. Rob and I don't think you can really taste the pears though it's a nice cinnamony quick bread. Maybe more pears?

3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 cup walnuts, chopped
3/4 cup butter (or 3/4 c veg oil), softened
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups sugar
2 cups pears, peeled and grated (3 pears for me)
2 teaspoons vanilla

Heat oven to 350. Grease and flour two 9 x 5 loaf pans.

Combine flour, soda, powder, salt, cinnamon in large mixing bowl. Mix well.

If using nuts, scoop out 1/4 c of flour mix and combine with walnuts in small bowl, stirring to coat all nuts.

In medium bowl, mix butter (I used oil), eggs, sugar, pears and vanilla. It took me 3 grated pears to make a little over 2 cups and we still thought we couldn't taste the pears. Maybe bigger chunks or more pears?

Scrape pear mix into flour mix and stir until flour disappears completely.

Bake in prepared pans at 350 for 60-70 minutes or until skewer comes out clean. This bread browns nicely.

Cool in pans on wire rack or folded kitchen towel for 10 minutes. Turn out onto plate or rack and cool, top side up. Can sprinkle with powdered sugar or glaze with a simple frosting, but it really doesn't need it.