Chunky Chocolate Fruit Loaf with Dates and Prunes
by meike peters
Raisins, prunes, dates, there are always lots of open bags in my kitchen shelves. Sometimes it’s just too much! When there’s no corner left which isn’t occupied by dried fruits I know it’s time for a recipe to empty them at one go and a fruit loaf is one of them. My fruity mixtures change depending on my shelf finds, I’ve often stocked up on figs, apricots or cranberries a bit too excessivly during the winter months as well, they can all go into the cake to add their concentrated fruity sweetness. It works for morning loaf cakes as much as for muffins, it makes them rich and won’t leave you hungry! I’m particularly fond of this in combination with bittersweet chocolate, big chunks that melt into the dough and merge with the fruit, delicious!
This time I had dates, prunes and a dark Belgian chocolate which ended up in the lumpy dough, roughly chopped and sticky. It made the loaf dense and moist and so pleasantly sweet that it felt like a sweet bread rather than a cake. You can replace the dried fruit with any other you find in your shelves and add some nuts or white chocolate. I often bake it on Sundays when I feel the urge to bake all of a sudden, I can be sure that I will find something in my shelves worth turning into a fruit loaf.
Chocolate Fruit Loaf with Dates and Prunes
For a 24 x 10cm / 10 x 4″ loaf pan you need
flour 340g / 12 ounces
sugar 100g / 3.5 ounces
baking powder 2 teaspoons
baking soda 1 teaspoon
salt 1/4 teaspoon
butter, melted, 120g /4.5 ounces
milk 220ml /7.5 ounces
organic eggs 2
bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped, 120g / 4.5 ounces
dates, roughly chopped, 100g / 3.5 ounces
prunes, roughly chopped, 100g / 3.5 ounces
Set the oven to 190°C / 375°F (fan-assisted oven). Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk the butter, milk and eggs and mix in the dry mixture with a wooden spoon. Don’t over mix, the dough should be lumpy. Gently stir in the dried fruit and chocolate and scrape into the pan. Bake for 30 minutes, turn the oven down to 175°C / 350°F and bake for another 15 minutes or until golden. Check with a skewer, it should come out clean. Let the loaf cool in the pan for a few minutes before you take it out.
I have too many fresh prunes; I want to use them in baking a loaf or muffins. What quantity do you suggest to use in your recipe Your recipe looks really good and I want to try it later today.
You can make a crumble with fresh plums: https://www.meikepeters.com/perfect-cinnamon-fruit-crumble-cake-eat-kitchen-book/
This looks so appealing and delicious! I have open bags of those very same items in my pantry.
Thank you Susan! I always end up with so many of these open bags that I have to bake a fruit loaf once in a while to make some space again 🙂