Papaya Bread II

Nice moist quick-bread, excellent for using up any papaya that is somewhat past it's prime for eating fresh. Like most quick-bread recipes, it's very adaptable. I've made equally yummy combinations of papaya-mango and papaya-banana breads when I didn't have the full amount of papaya available. Freezes well (cool completely, slice, then wrap loaf tightly in plastic wrap or foil.)

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Serves: 16
• Yields: 2 8inch loaves

Ingredients

• 3  eggs
• 1  cup applesauce
• 1  tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2  cups white sugar
• 1⁄2 medium papaya, pureed to make 2 cups
• 1⁄4 teaspoon baking powder
• 2  teaspoons baking soda
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1  tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1  cup  chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease two 8" loaf pans.
3. Beat eggs, applesauce, and vanilla in large bowl.
4. Add sugar, beating until well blended.
5. Blend in papaya puree.
6. In a smaller bowl, sift together all dry ingredients (baking powder to flour).
7. Add flour mixture to papaya mixture.
8. Blend only until moistened, preferably by hand (overmixing will produce a tough bread).
9. Fold in nuts (if using).
10. Pour evenly into prepared pans.
11. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 1 hour, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (with moist crumbs attached).
12. Cool pans on wire rack for 5 minutes.
13. Remove bread from pans and continue cooling, or slice and serve warm with butter or cream cheese (apple cinnamon flavored Brummel& Brown spread is wonderful with this as well).