Avocado quick bread recipe

English: Avocados (Persea americana) Français : Avocats (Persea americana) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I have never been much of a fan of avocados, but my exposure to them has been very limited. Limited only to guacamole, which as a child, I found to be quite disgusting. I wasn't a fan of the color, texture or flavor of the green condiment so many seem to love. Luckily, I outgrew my irrational hatred of the avocado and now embrace it as a part of my mostly vegetarian lifestyle.

AVOCADO QUICK BREAD

• 2 2/3 cup flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe avocado
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 9x5 inch loaf pans and set aside. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and allspice. In a medium bowl, cream together the sugars and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then mix in the mashed avocado. Stir in the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk until just combined. Fold in the chopped pecans and orange zest. Divide the batter evenly between the two loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Allow loaves to cool in pan for at least 20 minutes before turning out and cooling completely on a wire rack.

Cook's Notes
This can also be made in mini loaves or muffins. Please adjust baking times accordingly, approximately 45 minutes for minis and 20-25 minutes for muffins.