Lovely Peach Bread with Lavender Sugar Sprinkles
More years ago than I would like to admit, someone shared the recipe for this quick bread with me. It is the perfect way to use up extra fruits or vegetables rather than wasting them. It is called ” A to Z Bread ” because you can, pretty literally, think of a fruit or vegetable for most every letter of the alphabet to make it with. For instance; applesauce, grated apples, bananas, grated carrots, peaches, canned pumpkin, strawberries, grated sweet potato, grated zucchini … well, you get the picture!
My son is a chef, so he always helps me come up with really interesting flavor combinations using flowers and herbs from my garden: peaches and lavender sugar; cherries, hazelnuts and cloves; pineapple and cardamom seeds; blueberries, tarragon and pistachios; rosemary and poppy seeds; lemon and ginger; pumpkin, orange and sage; mustard seeds, zucchini and chives; potatoes, fennel seeds and dill; and basil, tomatoes and walnuts. This recipe allows you to really get creative.
This makes up quickly and is a wonderful hostess gift or present when you are visiting during the holidays. Today I had some peaches that were developing soft spots, so I made A to Z Bread with Peaches and Lavender Sugar Sprinkles.
Now, here’s the recipe and I hope you’ll let me know what letters of the alphabet you cooked!
A to Z Bread with Peaches and Lavender Sugar Sprinkles
(makes 2 large or 4 small loaves)
Prep time: 10 minutes to prepare and 1 hour to bake
Ingredients:
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup oil
- 2 cups sugar or substitute ( I often use Splenda) mixed with 3 teaspoons dried lavender blooms (or other herbs or flowers); make an extra tablespoon of this mixture to spinkle on top before it goes in the oven
- 2 cups diced or grated peaches (or any fruit or vegetable of your choice)
- 3 teaspoons vanilla
- 3 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- optional ~ fold in 1 cup chopped nuts
Directions:
- Cream all the wet ingredients
- Mix and add the dry ingredients
- Fold in nuts if desired
- Pour into well greased loaf pans
- Sprinkle lavender sugar (or other herb/sugar mix) on top
- Bake at 325 degrees F for about an hour