Recipe - Election Day Loaf

2 pack Dry yeast
1 One half cup Warm water
2 teaspoon Sugar
6 cup Unbleached flour, divided
1 teaspoon Salt
1 One half teaspoon Cinnamon
One fourth teaspoon Ground cloves
One half teaspoon Nutmeg
Three fourths cup Butter, at room temperature
1 cup Sugar
2 Eggs, at room temperature
1 One half cup Raisins
Three fourths cup Chopped walnuts or pecans
One half cup Chopped citron
1 tablespoon Flour
ICING:
1 cup Confectioner's sugar
1 One half tablespoon Orange juice
One half teaspoon Vanilla
1 pn Of salt

Mew England legend decrees that votes were bought in exchange for this
loaf. You may not win an election, but you will get an overwhelming vote of
confidence if you serve this bread to the poll watchers gathered in your
home on election night.

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water. Add 2 tsp sugar and 1
One half cups flour. beat well, about 150 strokes. Cover the bowl tightly and
set in a warm, draftfree place for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, sift the
remaining flour with the salt, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg on a piece of
wax paper. In a small bowl, cream the butter and sugar. When the yeast
batter has only 5 more minutes to rise, add the eggs to the creamed butter.

Beat well. Stir down the yeast batter. Spoon in the butter mixture and
blend well. Add the sifted dry ingredients a spoonful at a time, beating
after each one until the mixture is smooth. Dredge the raisins, nuts and
citron in the tbsp of flour and stir into the batter. Pour the batter into
a greased 10 inch tube pan. Make it level by using a spoon dipped in cold
water. Cover the pan with wax paper and place in a warm, draftfree spot
for about 1One half hours, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center
comes out clean. Check halfway through baking time; if the top gets too
brown, cover loosely with foil or brown paper. Remove from oven and let
cool for 10 minutes before turning the bread onto a wire rack to cool.

Spread on the icing while the bread is still warm. Makes 1 loaf.

Origin: Hearth and Home Companion Shared by: Sharon Stevens.

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini