Hummingbird Loaf

Hummingbird Loaf
Recipe courtesy of Bake from Scratch Magazine

Love hummingbird cake, but looking for a little less effort than a full-on layer cake? This Hummingbird Loaf holds the answer to all your problems. This may be the most vivacious loaf bread you’ve ever tasted. Little bits of dried apricot and pineapple deliver intermittent bursts of sweet-tart flavor, and an ample pour of spiced rum turns up the va-va-voom. But, it’s the pecans from Schermer Pecans in both the batter and the Pecan-Oat Streusel that truly take this loaf to the next level. Chopped pecans sprinkled into the batter lend both a toasty taste and texture to the loaf while the pecans in the Pecan-Oat Streusel turn a gorgeous golden brown and provide a crisp and buttery bite to every slice. Whether served for breakfast, an afternoon snack, or as dessert, this Hummingbird Loaf is sure to impress.

Makes 1 (9×5-inch) loaf

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Ingredients

1 cup (240 grams) spiced rum
½ cup (64 grams) diced dried pineapple pieces
½ cup (64 grams) diced dried apricots
4 ounces (115 grams) cream cheese, softened
⅓ cup (76 grams) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
1 large egg (50 grams), room temperature
½ teaspoon (2 grams) vanilla extract
1½ cups (188 grams) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon (2 grams) ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) kosher salt
½ teaspoon (2.5 grams) baking powder
¼ teaspoon (1.25 grams) baking soda
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¾ cup (171 grams) mashed banana
½ cup (57 grams) chopped pecans
Pecan-Oat Streusel (recipe follows)
Vanilla Glaze (recipe follows)

Instructions

In a small saucepan, bring rum, pineapple, and apricots to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, and simmer until fruit is plump and liquid has evaporated, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, and let cool completely.
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan. Line pan with parchment paper, letting excess extend over sides of pan.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed until creamy. Add sugar, and beat until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add egg, beating well. Beat in vanilla.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and nutmeg. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to cream cheese mixture, beating until combined. Fold in rehydrated fruit, mashed banana, and pecans. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Top with Pecan-Oat Streusel.
Bake until golden brown and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes, covering with foil halfway through baking to prevent excess browning. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Using excess parchment as handles, remove from pan, and let cool completely on a wire rack. Drizzle Vanilla Glaze over cooled loaf. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Notes

PLAN AHEAD
3 Days Ahead: Make Pecan-Oat Streusel. Refrigerate in an airtight container.
1 Day Ahead: Bake loaf, and let cool completely. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and let stand at room temperature overnight.
Day of: Drizzle with Vanilla Glaze.

Pecan-Oat Streusel:

Ingredients

¼ cup (28 grams) chopped pecans
¼ cup (20 grams) old-fashioned oats
¼ cup (55 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar
¼ cup (31 grams) all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons (42 grams) unsalted butter, cubed

Instructions

In a small bowl, whisk together pecans, oats, brown sugar, flour, salt, and nutmeg. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until pea-size crumbs remain. Squeeze mixture into small and large clumps. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Vanilla Glaze:

Ingredients