Recipe for Pear Bread

Posted by T.C. Savage

September is a good month for pears which are part of the rose family and are related to apples. You can dry them, jam them, sauce them, and make them into delicious treats. This recipe for pear bread comes from the California Bed and Breakfast Cookbook and I don't see any reason to try to improve on it.

Pear Bread - makes 2 loaves

1 3/4 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
grated zest of 2 lemons
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour*
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon mace
4 pears peeled and grated (about 3 cups)
3/4 cup chopped pecans, walnuts, or hazelnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, beat together sugar, oil and eggs. Add lemon zest and vanilla. Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and mace into a medium bowl. Stir flour mixture into egg mixture. Stir in grated pears and nuts. It is okay if the pears get mashed while grating. Pour batter into two greased 9x5 inch loaf pans. Bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

*I used 2 cups unbleached flour and one cup whole wheat flour.

T.C. Savage has lived in Oregon for over two decades and enjoys cooking, baking, gardening and holidays.