Apricot-Walnut Tea Bread

I can tell, from the handwriting on the recipe card, that I probably copied this out when I was in junior high school! Mercy! I tested it for a shower I'm hosting, and it's a winner! It also tastes excellent when toasted!

Apricot-Walnut Tea Bread

1 cup dried apricots (about ¼ pound)

1 ½ cups boiling water

1 cup walnuts

2 ½ cups sifted flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup sugar

¼ cup salad oil

Using scissors, snip the dried apricots in small pieces into a small bowl. Add boiling water; let cool.

Chop the walnuts coarsely and set aside.

Sift flour with baking powder and salt onto a sheet of waxed paper; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine egg, vanilla, sugar, and oil. Beat with a wooden spoon until well-blended. Gradually add apricot mixture, beating constantly. Add flour mixture all at once; beat just until smooth. Stir in nuts just until blended.

Turn batter into greased 9” x 5” x 3” loaf pan; smooth top. Bake at 350° for 60 to 65 minutes. Let cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Then run a small spatula around sides of pan to loosen, and turn out loaf onto rack. Let loaf cool completely. Wrap in foil and store 12 hours before serving.

DONNA’S NOTES: I would chop the walnuts finely and reduce the sugar to ½ cup. I used canola oil. I baked this in my Pampered Chef stoneware loaf pan, and it stuck to the bottom. Next time, I’ll use a glass pan that I can spray with vegetable oil spray.