Christmas Loaf Recipes

CHRISTMAS GIFT LOAF

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each one. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg, and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the sugar mixture alternately with the pumpkin puree, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Fold in the chocolate chips and 3/4 cup of the walnuts until evenly distributed. Spoon into the prepared loaf pan, and sprinkle the remaining walnuts over the top.
• Bake for 65 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted into the crown of the loaf comes out clean. Cool, then remove from the pan, and drizzle with icing.
• To make the icing, stir together the confectioners' sugar and heavy cream with a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg until smooth.

LAST-MINUTE CHRISTMAS LOAF CAKE

Steps:

• Tip the fruit and peel into a bowl with the orange juice and zest and 150ml of the brandy. Stir well, then leave in a warm place for 2 hrs for the fruit to plump up.
• Heat oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 4. Brush a 900g loaf tin with the melted butter, then line with baking parchment. Beat the muscovado sugar and butter until light and fluffy, then add the eggs one at a time. Mix in the fruit and the rest of the ingredients except for the remaining brandy and icing sugar. Spoon the mixture into the loaf tin, put the tin in a deep tray and bake for 1 hr 15 mins-1 hr 30 mins or until a skewer prodded in comes out clean. Remove from the oven and immediately pour over the brandy (this makes it easier for the cake to soak it up). Leave to cool, then dust with icing sugar, if using.

A CHRISTMAS STORY MEAT LOAF

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Place a rack in a 15x10x1-in. baking pan; place a 12x8-in. piece of foil in center of rack. In a large bowl, combine eggs, ketchup, onion, green pepper, crushed saltines, salt and pepper. Add beef; mix lightly but thoroughly. Place over foil rectangle and shape into a 9x6-in. loaf. Bake until a thermometer reads 160°, 50-60 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing., Transfer meat loaf to a serving plate, discarding foil. Pipe or spread 1 cup mashed potatoes over meat loaf. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve with remaining mashed potatoes.

CHRISTMAS LOAF

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°.
• Grease 2 loaf pans.
• Cream butter and sugar.
• Beat in eggs and vanilla.
• Mix flour, baking soda and salt.
• Add to creamed mixture alternately with bananas.
• Stir in coconut, almonds, cherries and dates.
• Pour into pans.
• Bake for 55 minutes, until pick comes out clean.
• Cool for 15 minutes before removing from pans.

CHRISTMAS BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add the evaporated milk, sugar, shortening, salt, eggs and 2 cups of flour; beat until smooth. Stir in mixed candied fruit and enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (do not knead). , Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/4 hours. , Punch dough down. Turn onto a floured surface; knead 3-4 minutes. Pat evenly into a greased 10-in. tube pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place until nearly doubled, about 45 minutes. , Bake at 375° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan to cool on a wire rack. , Combine the confectioners' sugar, vanilla and enough milk to reach desired consistency; drizzle over bread. Garnish with additional candied fruit if desired.