I baked: Healthy Sweet Potato and Raisin Loaf

Another healthy and delicious loaf we made recently was this sweet potato and raisin loaf. Very little sugar is added since sweet potato is naturally sweet. This loaf is best eaten warm - freshly baked out of the oven, it was very moist with a wonderful, crusty exterior. 

For this loaf, you can use any type of sweet potato (orange or purple or yellow). We used the purple Japanese sweet potato. You need to steam the sweet potatoes first, before mashing it for the loaf. I got my two wonderful kitchen helpers to give me a hand in mashing the sweet potato as well as beating the eggs. And of course, they helped me with the eating part as well ;)

Purple Japanese sweet potato

My cute little helpers :)

On the day it was baked, this loaf has a nice crusty exterior and a moist centre. We did find that the loaf wasn't as nice the next day as it tends to dry out a little. The best way to enjoy it is with some butter and a cuppa coffee/tea. The kids enjoyed this very much, it's also a great way to get more vegetables/fruit in their diet ;)

Sweet Potato and Raisin Loaf
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 1 - 1 1/4 hour
Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients
250g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg

450g mashed cooked sweet potatoes
30g soft brown sugar
115g butter, melted and cooled
3 eggs, beaten
75g raisins

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 9 x 5 inch (23 x 13 cm) loaf tin.

2. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg into a mixing bowl. Set aside.

3. With an electric mixer, beat the mashed sweet potatoes with the brown sugar, butter and eggs until well mixed.

4. Add the flour mixture and raisins to the wet mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until the flour is just mixed in. It may look a little lumpy at this point, but don't worry.

5. Transfer the batter to the prepared tin. Bake for 1 - 1 1/4 hours, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

6. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then turn the bread on to the wire rack to cool completely. I served them warm, after about 20-25 minutes after it came out of the oven with some butter.