Loaf cake, with raisins and walnuts

A classic loaf cake is by far my favorite type of cake nice for breakfast, afternoon tea and easy to bake. I realize there are so many varieties out there but this one – with raisins and walnuts – is an extremely good combination and my recipe here makes a light and fluffy cake. I have tried a gluten-free version of this cake by replacing the regular flour with Bob’s Red Mill gluten free all-purpose flour. The cake did not get as fluffy but everything else was just about perfect! 

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp baking powder (make sure the baking powder fresh – six months is the maximum shelf age)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup raw cane sugar
• ¼ cup + 1 tbsp. cup softened unsalted butter
• 1 cup milk
• I cup raisins & walnuts mix
• 1 tbsp. ground pistachio for topping (optional)

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line your baking pan so it hangs from two sides.

Sieve flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon together. 

Mix butter and sugar in a separate bowl and beat in the eggs one at a time just for a couple of minutes. I use a fork not an electric mixer.

Gradually fold in the dry sieved ingredients and continue folding and mixing. Finally add walnuts and raisins and gently fold till everything is nicely mixed.

Your batter is going to be thick so use a scrapper to fully transform it in to the cake pan.  Bake for 70 minutes. But test at 60 min. to make sure you are on the right track.

At the end of the baking process, a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake should come out clean.

Take the cake out, sprinkle ground pistachio on top while it is still hot. Transfer on a rack and let cool.

Cover after a few hours.

Enjoy!