For Special Snack, Lunch, Dinner Treat

This recipe for Spiced Walnut-Buttermilk Loaf makes a tender bread full of flavorful spices and crunchy nuts. A sharp, serrated knife and sawing motion is the best technique for slicing the loaf.

Enjoy as is for a great snack or to tuck into lunch boxes, or spread with butter or cream cheese at breakfast. After dinner, try a thick slice under a scoop of ice cream for a delicious dessert.

SPICED WALNUT-BUTTERMILK LOAF

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

1 cup chopped walnuts

3 cups flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1/3 cup shortening

2 eggs

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

Stir together 1/4 cup sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Melt butter. Toss with walnuts and sugar-spice mixture. Set aside.

Sift flour with baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cream together shortening and remaining 3/4 cup sugar. Beat in eggs. Blend in flour mixture alternately with buttermilk.

Set aside 1/4 cup spiced walnuts for top of loaf. Stir remainder into batter and turn into well-greased 9x5-inch loaf pan. Sprinkle remaining walnuts over top.

Bake below oven center at 350 degrees 1 hour 10 minutes or until wood pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand in pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack to cool. Makes 1 loaf.