Oat Bread

An old Warwickshire farmhouse recipe, this sweet bread contains no yeast, but uses baking powder as its raising agent. It develops a cake-like consistency when baked and is delicious served spread with butter.

• Ready In: 1 hr 35 mins
• Yields: 1 loaf

Ingredients

• 3⁄4 pint milk
• 4  ounces rolled oats
• 12  ounces flour
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 4  teaspoons baking powder
• 6  ounces caster sugar
• 1  egg, beaten
• 1⁄2 ounce butter, melted

Directions

1. Scald the milk by pouring into a saucepan and heating gently until bubbles begin to appear around the rim of the milk. Then pour over the oats in a bowl, stir lightly and leave to cool.
2. In another bowl, sieve together the flour, salt and baking powder, then stir in the sugar. Beat in the egg and melted butter, then stir in the oat mixture and combine well; it will be the consistency of very thick porridge.
3. Turn into a well buttered 2 lb loaf tin and leave to stand for 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Set the oven to 350ºF or mark 4.
5. When proved, bake for 1 1/2 hours. After 1/2 hour cover the top with a piece of very lightly buttered kitchen foil to prevent the top from browning too much.
6. Turn out on wire rack to cool. Serve thickly sliced and spread with plenty of butter.