Baked summer fruit in a buttermilk loaf

Tam West

I’m going through a buttermilk phase — using it to make this loaf and in scones. Buttermilk adds flavour and produces a lighter texture. This loaf makes a lovely dessert served with custard or is great for picnics.

Ingredients

1 ½ cups	Self raising flour
⅓ cup	Caster sugar
½	Oranges, finely grated zest of
½ cup	Buttermilk, or more if needed (Main)
1 large	Egg
1 tsp	Vanilla extract
50 g	Melted butter, cooled
5 small	Apricots, halved or quartered if large, and stones removed
½ punnet	Fresh raspberries

Topping

3 Tbsp	Caster sugar
1 tsp	Ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 180C. Grease and line a medium-sized loaf tin (about 21cm x 12cm x 6cm deep), with baking paper.
2. Sift the flour and sugar into a large bowl and add the orange zest.
3. Mix together the buttermilk, egg and vanilla extract. Fold into the dry ingredients with the melted butter then spoon into the prepared tin. Smooth the top. The mixture should be of a dropping consistency.
4. Place the apricots on top with the raspberries, pressing some down into the mixture.
5. Mix together the topping ingredients and sprinkle over the fruit. Place in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
6. Leave in the tin for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Store in an airtight container, but the cake is best eaten on the day it is made.

More of Kathy's summer picnic recipes

• Ricotta, silverbeet and dukkah tart
• Lamb cutlets with a quinoa crust