Hikers' Walnut Bread - Lavender and Lovage (2024)

This recipe forHikers’ Walnut Breadcomes from a very old edition of aBe-Ro recipe book,from about circa 1942. It’s a classic quick bread that used to be very popular in the post-war years.

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This recipe forHikers’ Walnut Breadcomes from a very old edition of aBe-Ro recipe book,from about circa 1942. It’s a classic quick bread that used to be very popular when there was no yeast, eggs or fat available; although it does use 1 gg and 1 ounce (25g) of fat in it.

It’s a fabulous rubbed-in tea bread recipe, where dried fruit is added to the walnuts, which really are the star of the show.

I have stuck to the recipe as it was originally published 80 years ago, with only two small changes – I used white vegetable fat in place of lard, making this recipe for Hikers Walnut Bread suitable for vegetarians, and I have cut back on the salt.

The original recipe calls for raisins, and I would have used raisins in the recipe, but I didn’t have any in the larder the last time I made it, so I used currants instead, with great success.

So, why is it called Hikers’ Walnut Bread? The original recipe was called Be-Ro Walnut Bread, but in the introduction to the recipe, it says “The ideal food for Hikers’, very nutritious and sustaining” And, I can report back, that it is excellent for a hiking snack.

This is baked in a round cake tin, but it has a texture somewhere between a cake and a scone, or a quick bread such asMilk Fadge, which is another Be-Ro recipe.

This is such a lovely, and easy cake to make, the most work that needs to be done when preparing it, is the rubbing in of the fat.

I have suggested white vegetable fat such asTrex, in place of lard, but could use butter or margarine, although the texture will not be quite the same as using a shortening. Trex DOES contain palm oil, but it ISRSPO certified palm oil, which is sustainable.

I hope you enjoy this recipe for Hikers’ Walnut Bread if you make it, and just think, you will be making a classic quick bread (tea loaf) recipe that is over 80 years old and that has stood the test of time. See you soon with more new recipes, Karen

More Be-Ro Recipes

• Rich Jam and Coconut Cake Recipe
• Strawberry Iced Butterfly Fairy Cakes
• Raspberry Cheesecake Muffins
• London “Bath” Buns

• Australian Crunchies (Traybake)
• Be-Ro Dropped Scones for Breakfast (Griddle Cakes)
• Rock Cakes (Rock Buns)
• Old-Fashioned Granny Loaf (Egg-Free and Fat-Free) Recipe

Notes and Conversions

This recipe is shared how it was written in the original Be-Ro recipe book, please see below for modern measurements and oven temperatures.

• Cake tin – 18cms diameter and 7.5cms deep.
• Moderately hot oven – 180C to 220C. Gas mark 4 to 5
• There is no need to chop the raisins nowadays.
• Use currants in place of raisins.
• Use margarine or butter in place of white vegetable fat.

• Use plain flour with 4 teaspoons baking powder in place of SR flour.
• For a spiced version, add 1 teaspoon mixed spice.
• Can be baked in loaf tin, use a 450g (lb) loaf tin.
• I find it is best to grease AND line the cake tin.
• Delicious when serve buttered.

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More Be-Ro Recipes

• Victoria Scones for a Jubilee Tea
• Welsh Griddle Cakes
• Melting Moments (Biscuits/Cookies)
• Old Fashioned Milk Chocolate Cake

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Recipe for Hikers’ Walnut Bread

Hikers' Walnut Bread

Yield: 14 slices

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

This recipe for Hikers' Walnut Bread comes from a very old edition of a Be-Ro recipe book, from about circa 1942. It's a classic quick bread that used to be very popular when there was no yeast, eggs or fat available; although it does use 1 gg and 1 ounce (25g) of fat in it.

It's a fabulous rubbed-in tea bread recipe, where dried fruit is added to the walnuts, which really are the star of the show.

I have stuck to the recipe as it was originally published 80 years ago, with only two small changes - I have used white vegetable fat in place of lard, making this recipe for Hikers Walnut Bread suitable for vegetarians, and I have cut back on the salt.

The original recipe calls for raisins, and I would have used raisins in the recipe, but I didn't have any in the larder the last time I made it, so I used currants instead, with great success.

See Also

Parmesan Drop Biscuits Recipe - w/ Mayo, No Butter!

So, why is it called Hikers' Walnut Bread? The original recipe was called Be-Ro Walnut Bread, but in the introduction to the recipe, it says "The ideal food for Hikers', very nutritious and sustaining" And, I can report back, that it is excellent for a hiking snack.

This is baked in a round cake tin, but it has a texture somewhere between a cake and a scone, or a quick bread such as Milk Fadge, which is another Be-Ro recipe.

This is such a lovely, and easy cake to make, the most work that needs to be done when preparing it, is the rubbing in of the fat.

I have suggested white vegetable fat such as Trex, in place of lard, but could use butter or margarine, although the texture will not be quite the same as using a shortening. Trex DOES contain palm oil, but it IS RSPO certified palm oil, which is sustainable.

I hope you enjoy this recipe for Hikers' Walnut Bread if you make it, and just think, you will be making a classic quick bread (tea loaf) recipe that is over 80 years old and that has stood the test of time.

Ingredients

• 450g (1lb) SR Flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 25g (1oz) white vegetable fat, such as Trex
• 80g (3ozs) white sugar
• 115g (4ozs) chopped walnuts
• 80g (3ozs) raisins
• 1 egg
• 300mls (1/2 pint) milk

Instructions

1. Mix the flour and the salt in a basin, and rub in the fat.
2. Chop the walnuts and the raisins*, and mix in with sugar and flour.
3. Beat the egg with half of pint of milk, and mix THOROUGHLY with the dry ingredients, making a soft dough.
4. Place in a well-greased round cake tin (7 inches in diameter, 3 inches deep)and smooth over top with a knife.
5. Bake in a MODERATELY HOT OVEN (375F-425F, Regulo 4-5) one hour.
6. The above recipe is how it was written in the original Be-Ro recipe book, please see below in notes for modern measurements and oven temperatures.
   

Notes

Cake tin - 18cms diameter and 7.5cms deep.

Moderately hot oven - 180C to 220C. Gas mark 4 to 5

*There is no need to chop the raisins nowadays.

Use currants in place of raisins.

Use margarine or butter in place of white vegetable fat.

Use plain flour with 4 teaspoons baking powder in place of SR flour.

For a spiced version, add 1 teaspoon mixed spice.

Can be baked in loaf tin, use a 450g (lb) loaf tin.

I find it is best to grease AND line the cake tin.

Serve buttered.

Nutrition Information

Yield 14 slicesServing Size 1
Amount Per ServingCalories 43Total Fat 1gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 13mgSodium 84mgCarbohydrates 8gFiber 1gSugar 1gProtein 2g

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