astray recipes: Applesauce treasure loaf

Categories: Breads
Yield: 2 loaves

Measure	Ingredient
1 cup	Shortening; soft
1½ cup	Brown sugar, firmly packed
4	Eggs
2½ cup	Sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon	Baking powder
½ teaspoon	Soda
1½ teaspoon	Salt
2 teaspoons	Cinnamon
¾ teaspoon	Cloves
¾ teaspoon	Nutmeg
2 cups	Sweetened canned applesauce
1½ cup	Quaker Oats, uncooked (quick or old-fashioned)
1 cup	Raisins
1 cup	Pitted dates cut in small pieces
1 cup	Candied red cherries cut in small pieces
1 cup	Chopped nutmeats

Beat shortening and sugar together until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift together 2 cups of the flour, baking powder, soda, salt and spices. Add alternately with applesauce to creamed mixture; blend well. Stir in oats.

Combine remaining ½ cup flour with raisins, dates, cherries and nutmeats; stir to coat fruits and nutmeats evenly with flour. Stir into batter. Pour into 2 greased and waxed paper-lined 8-½" x 4-½" x 2-½" loaf pans.

Bake in preheated very slow oven (275 F.) about 2 hours. Set pan of hot water in bottom of oven while loaves are baking. Loosen edges; cool on wire rack about 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool thoroughly. Wrap cooled bread and store one day before slicing.

Source: Our Favorites for family and friends Reprinted with permission from The Quaker Oats Company Electronic format courtesy of Karen Mintzias

applesauce treasure loaf