Pear, Date and Seed Loaf
This pear, date and seed loaf is great for lunch boxes, morning tea, cake stalls and picnics. It's delicious toasted the next day.
Servings: 10 slices
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 300 mL milk substitute with rice milk for a dairy-free version
- 2 cups wholemeal self-raising flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 100 g dried dates, seeds removed, roughly chopped
- 75 g dried pears, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 3 tbsp pumpkin seeds, plus 1 extra tbsp for the top
- 3 tbsp sunflower seeds, plus 1 extra tbsp for the top
Instructions
- Soak the rolled oats in the milk for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced).
- Grease a 21 cm x 10 cm loaf tin and line it with baking paper.
- Sift the flour, baking powder and cinnamon into a large mixing bowl and stir in all the remaining ingredients, mixing gently until all combined.
- Pour into the loaf tin, smooth the top with a spatula and sprinkle the remaining seeds on top.
- Bake for about 45 minutes until the loaf is cooked through when tested with a skewer.
- Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.
- Serve thick slices smeared with butter or cashew cream.
Notes
Substitute the dried dates and pears with other fruit, such as figs, apricots, raisins and cranberries. Just make sure that the total weight of the dried fruit is the same. Nuts work well in place of seeds - try pecans, walnuts or hazelnuts.
The loaf keeps well in an airtight container for up to 3 days. It's delicious toasted the following day, and it freezes well.