BUTTERNUT SQUASH BREAD WITH ORANGE GLAZE

Makes:  1 loaf

Prep: 30 minutes

Cook: about 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 lb. Butternut Squash Puree (about 2 1/2 C. cubed peeled butternut squash – Roasted at 400 degrees for 15 minutes – then pureed in processor or blender)

1/2 C. Butter

2 Eggs

1/3 C. Orange Juice

Grated Zest of 1 Orange

3/4 C. Coarsely Chopped Walnuts

1/3 C. Sliced Dark Red Cherries – leave them chunky (fresh preferred, but dried or even canned may be used if drained and dried) Throw in a few more if you like.)

DRY INGREDIENTS:

1 3/4 C. Flour

1 1/4 C. Sugar

1 tsp. Baking Soda

3/4 tsp. Baking Powder

3/4 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp. Cinnamon

1/2 tsp. Ground Cloves

1/4 tsp. Nutmeg

1 Tbsp. Fennel Seed

ORANGE GLAZE:

1 C. Powdered Sugar

1/2 tsp. orange extract

1/8 C. Orange Juice

Grated Orange Zest for garnish

Instructions

Roast the cubed butternut squash, spread on a pan and sprinkled with a little oil, at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Puree in blender or processor. Makes about a cup.

Cream the butter in a mixer and add the pureed squash, eggs, orange juice, and orange zest.

Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix. Then add to the squash mixture in the mixer. Mix until combined and remove bowl from mixer.

Add the nuts and cherries and toss with a spoon or spatula.

Pour into a greased loaf pan.

Bake at 350 for about an hour and 15 minutes or until a knife or toothpick comes out clean when inserted.

Cool in pan about 20 minutes – then remove the bread.

When Bread is cool. Mix the powdered sugar with the extract and orange juice. You should have a thick glaze.

Drizzle the glaze over the bread and sprinkle top with more orange zest.

Refrigerate overnight before cutting and eating. The bread will slice better than when warm and the flavors will intensify!