honey pecan loaf

This honey pecan bread is a brand new recipe. Well, new to me at least. I found it in an old cookbook called “Soupcon [pronounced 'soup's on'] – Seasonal Samplings from the Junior League of Chicago,” copyright 1974. I own a few Junior League cookbooks, and they never let me down. My Easy Cheesy Chicken Casserole comes from a Detroit Junior League Cookbook, and that casserole never lets me down either!   I would imagine that if a person is going to submit a recipe to be published in a substantial cookbook, chances are it will be pretty good. I’ll be making more things from “Soupcon.”

This was really, really good toasted and slathered with orange marmalade. We’ve been munching on it all week. It would be perfect served with a salad or soup luncheon. Very unusual.

Here’s what you need:

¾ C milk (I always use skim)

¼ C orange juice

1 t grated orange zest

1 C honey

¼ C sugar ( I think this could be eliminated….)

¼ C butter

2 eggs

2 ¼ C flour

1 t baking soda

½ slat

½ cinnamon

¼ t nutmeg

1/8 t cloves

1 C chopped pecans

¼ C brown sugar

½ t cinnamon

¼ chopped pecans

Here’s what you do:

Combine milk, orange juice, zest, honey, sugar and butter in a sauce pan. Heat and stir until all melted together. Cool. 

Stir honey mixture into eggs a tiny bit at a time so the eggs don’t ‘scramble.’ Mix very well after each addition.

Add dry ingredients to honey mixture: flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Mix well. 

Stir in 1 C of pecans.

Pour batter into a greased loaf pan.

For the topping: Mix the remaining nuts with the brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the top of the bread.

Bake for 50 – 60 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Cool bread in pan for about 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.  Mine was just the tiniest bit over baked…. bummer….. so watch yours closely.

(printable recipe)

What are some of your favorite quick breads to make? Ever get tired of always making banana bread?