Equipment
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 200 g all-purpose flour
- 100 g whole wheat flour
- 10 g baking powder
- 4 g baking soda
- 3 g ground cinnamon
- 3 g fine sea salt
Wet Ingredients
- 150 g dark brown sugar, packed
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 180 ml buttermilk, room temperature
- 80 ml neutral oil
- 5 ml vanilla extract
Add-ins
- 200 g italian prune plums, pitted and diced
- 100 g walnuts, toasted and chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius, which is 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides for easy removal.
Dice the pitted Italian prune plums into 1-centimeter pieces on a cutting board.
Chop the toasted walnuts roughly.
Whisk the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and sea salt together in a large mixing bowl.
Beat the dark brown sugar, eggs, buttermilk, neutral oil, and vanilla extract in a medium mixing bowl until entirely smooth.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently fold with a spatula until just combined.
Fold the diced plums and chopped walnuts gently into the batter until evenly distributed.
Transfer the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the surface evenly.
Bake for 55 to 60 minutes until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.
Cool the bread in the pan for 15 minutes before using the parchment overhang to transfer it to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Chef's Notes
- Italian prune plums, also known as Empress plums, are ideal for baking because their freestone nature makes them easy to pit, and their lower moisture content prevents the batter from becoming soggy.
- Always toast the walnuts before using them. A quick 8-minute toast in a 175C degree oven amplifies their natural oils and prevents them from tasting bitter or raw in the finished bread.
- The inclusion of whole wheat flour adds a nutty flavor that complements the walnuts, while keeping the crumb tender thanks to the acidity of the buttermilk.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 week — Store in an airtight container to prevent drying out.
Freezer: 3 months — Slice before freezing and wrap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap.
Reheating: Warm individual slices in a toaster oven at 150C for 5 minutes.
