1 3/4 c Unsifted all-purpose flour 3/4 c Diced pitted prunes
1/2 c Whole wheat flour 8 tb Unsalted butter; softened
1 1/2 ts Baking powder 1/2 c Light brown sugar
3/4 ts Baking soda 1/4 c Granulated sugar
1/4 ts Salt 2 Extra-large eggs
1/2 ts Ground cinnamon 1 ts Vanilla extract
1/2 ts Freshly grated nutmeg 1 1/4 c Mashed ripe bananas
3/4 c Moist dried currants -about 3 medium
3/4 c Chopped pitted dates 1/2 c Buttermilk
Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter and flour four 5x3x 2 3/4-inch loaf
pans.
Sift together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder,
baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Toss the currants, dates and
prunes with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the sifted mixture.
Cream the butter in the large bowl of an electric mixer on moderate
speed for 3 minutes. Add the light brown sugar and beat for 1 minute
on moderately high speed. Add the granulated sugar and continue
beating for 2 minutes longer. Beat in the eggs, one at a time,
blending well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract and
bananas. On low speed, add half of the sifted ingredients, the
buttermilk, then the balance of the sifted ingredients, mixing until
the particles of flour are absorbed. Stir in the currants, dates and
prunes.
Pour and scrape the batter into the prepared pans, dividing it evenly
among them. Bake the cakes for 40 minutes, or until a wooden pick
inserted into each loaf emerges clean and dry.
Cool the cakes in the pans on a rack for 2 to 3 minutes, invert onto
another rack and turn rightside up. Cool completely. Store in an
airtight container.
from Baking for Gift-Giving by Lisa Yockelson typed by Tiffany
Hall-Graham
Yields
4 loaves