Tropical Christmas Bread...

It is called Christmas Bread....but, this is not a yeast loaf... and truly... since we can find Macadamia nuts all year round... why wouldn't we just enjoy it whenever?? I call it Tropical Fruit Bread myself. Sometimes I bake it when I want a tasty loaf instead of muffins....and, at the festive season, I even give it a little splash of rum....

Tropical Christmas Bread

1 14 ounce (398 ml) can pineapple tidbits
1 1/2 cups golden seedless raisins (any raisin will do)
1/3 cup diced candied ginger
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup macadamia nuts (I like to roughly chop mine )
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1/2 cup reserved pineapple juice
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder

Place pineapple bits in deep bowl. Add raisins, ginger, coconut, and macadamia nuts. Mix well.

In mixer bowl... cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in pineapple juice.

Sift together flour and baking powder. Add to sugar mixture. Fold in fruit mixture.

Spoon into 5 greased and floured mini loaf pans. Bake in 350F oven for 20 - 25 minutes or til toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool. Remove from tins..











My 5 mini loaf pans are varying sizes, so I treated myself to this. It makes 8 tiny loaves....

























In actuality...they are more the size of giant muffins..... how cute are these in a little gift basket with some cranberry pistachio biscotti ?...














...or, just on my plate.... next to a steaming cup of tea or coffee..... mmmmmm.....












This is an ancient recipe... clipped from newspaper years ago..