Farmhouse Sweet Loaf

7 days!!!

In 7 short days I will be going from 22 years old to 23 years old.

It has come around to quickly after Christmas, It always does.

Before the festive period I felt svelte...er. So I feel as though I've gone from beach babe (not quite but I was almost there) to beach ball!

Not good.

And that sugar craving certainly hasn't left me alone. If anything it's worse.

You know, like that little gremlin from the Benylin Cough Advert, just clinging on after the yuletide binge.

So with the want for sugar still high on my agenda (voluntary or not) I was in the mood to bake.

With that I decided to bake something mildly healthy.

Yup, that's right. No frosting, No chocolate, No sprinkles.

Health all the way . . . . Well sort of.

This farmhouse sweet loaf certainly quietened my need for a sugar rush for a while.

It was sweet, but not overly.

The juicy fruits were actually heaven sent after a month of chocolate covered caramels for breakfast, lucn and dinner.

On top of that you get an amazing crisp, crunch from the muesli.

This loaf is so moist and tender, with a crisp bread-like crust on top and it's utterly moreish. Plus it's healthy so you can have double servings without the guilt you get from eating 2 (or 4) slices of chocolate cake.

Trust me you're going to love it.

Hopefully a few more slices will remove me from the Christmas bloated feeling I've had the last few day so that I feel fabulous come my birthday (that's the 12th of January if you wanted to know)

Ingredients:

125g / 1/2 Cup + 1 Tbsp Butter
135g / 2/3 Cup Packed Light Brown Sugar
3 Eggs
1/4 Tsp Almond Extract
50g / 1/3 Cup Dried Apricots (chopped)
50g / 1/4 Cup Dried Prunes (chopped)
50g / 1/2 Cup Walnuts (Chopped)
100g / 1 1/4 Cup Muesli
1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
125g / 1 Cup Self-Raising Flour
1 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder

Method:

Preheat your oven to 190c / 375f and grease and line a 1 litre loaf tin.

In a large mixing bowl beat together your butter and sugar till it is light and fluffy.

Then add you eggs, 1 at a time. Mixing until well combined.

Now stir in your Almond, Chopped dried fruits, walnuts and museli. Mix well.

Then add the self-raising flour, cinnamon and baking powder and mix till just combined.

Pour the mixture into your lined tin and bake for 30-45 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.

Allow to cool fully before enjoying