Spiced Sweet Potato Bread

This is a good baked treat for lunches, and a nice break from banana bread.  It is amazingly tender and full-flavoured.  It tastes a little like a Jewish honey cake, but not quite as rich or dense.  You could add some raisins or chopped dates, if you like - stir them into the flour mixture before adding to the liquids.
Makes 1 large loaf
Total prep and cooking time:  80 minutes

1 ½  cups sugar

¼   cup vegetable oil (canola is good)

¼   cup unsweetened applesauce

2 eggs

1/3 cup milk (I use 1%)

1  cup mashed orange sweet potato

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 ¾  cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoons baking soda

¾  teaspoons salt

½  teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a 9x5 inch loaf pan with oil.

In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, oil, applesauce and eggs; beat until smooth. Add milk and vanilla and beat until well blended. Stir in mashed sweet potato.

In medium bowl, combine flour, soda, salt, baking powder, and spices.  Don't wimp out on the spices, add them all.  Add dry ingredients to wet mixture and blend just until all ingredients are mixed. Pour into prepared pan and smooth top.

Bake in preheated oven until toothpick comes out clean, about 1 hour, maybe a little longer.  Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a cooling rack.

 

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