Although the story of Purim (Megillat Esther), is anything but funny, the Jewish people have developed a wonderful sense of humour that comes out best at Purim. The old adage, “They tried to kill us, we survived, let’s eat!” stands true. After all, the Jews did not survive 3000 years by missing meals, or especially by missing desserts!
Here is my attempt at some Purim humour. My jokes are a barrel of loafs, you are sure to burst out loafing and you will doubled up with loafter. Here we go:
My dessert went missing, somebody took my Tropical Lemon Loaf. Out of everything that happened today, that really took the cake! Everyone told to stop making cake jokes, but I could tell they were just having a loaf. And if loafing is wrong, I don’t want to be right. See Purim is really good for a loaf!
Tropical Lemon Loaf Cake and Mandarin Loaf Cake, you are the loaf of my life. I loaf you so much! And so will you!
Mandarin Orange Loaf Cake
o 3 295 ml (10 ounce) cans mandarin orange slices
o 250 ml (1 cup) reserved juice
o 2 eggs
o 250 ml (1 cup ) margarine
o 375 ml (1½ cups) sugar
o 750 ml (3 cups ) flour
o 10 ml (2 tsp) baking powder
o 10 ml (2 tsp) baking soda
o 2 ml (½ tsp) salt
Glaze
45 ml (3 tbsp) reserved juice for cake
63 ml (¼ cup) icing sugar
15 ml (1 tbsp) reserved juice
Mandarin orange slices from third can for garnish
Prepare a loaf pan with Canola oil spray. Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F). Take first two cans of mandarin oranges, drain and reserve juice. In food processor pulse mandarin oranges until finely chopped. Add in egg, margarine, juice and sugar. Pulse until combined. Add in dry ingredients and pulse just until combined. Fill prepared loaf pan just past the halfway point. Bake loaf cake 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of the loaf comes out clean. Cool and remove from pans. Open and drain the third can of mandarin oranges, reserving liquid. Using a fork, gently poke rows into top of the cake. Spoon 45 ml (3 tbsp) of the reserved juice over the prepared holes. Mix glaze ingredients until smooth. Drizzle glaze over the top of the cakes. Garnish with remaining mandarin orange slices. Serve immediately or wrap well and serve within two days. Freezes well. (If you have extra batter prepare a few cupcakes, bake for 20 minutes.)
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Tropical Fruit Lemon Loaf
o 250 ml (1 cup) unsalted butter or vegan margarine
o 250 ml (1 cup) sugar
o 4 eggs
o 45 ml (3 tbsp) lemon juice
o Lemon zest from two lemons
o 5 ml (1 tsp) pure vanilla
o 500 ml (2 cups) flour
o 5 ml (1 tsp) baking powder
o 0.5 ml (1/8 tsp) salt
o 375 ml (1½ cups) tropical dried fruit mix, diced, or combination of raisins, diced dried pineapple, papaya, banana chips and coconut flakes.
Glaze
62 ml (¼ cup) icing sugar
15 ml (1 tbsp) lemon juice
Assorted tropical dried fruit for garnish
Prepare a loaf pan with Canola oil spray. Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F). In a large bowl or food processor, combine butter and sugar until light. Add in eggs and mix or process until well combined. Combine in lemon juice, zest and vanilla. Remove 15 ml (1 tbsp) of flour from the measured flour and toss with the tropical dried fruit. Set aside. Add in remaining dry ingredients to the mixture and gently combine until smooth. Fold dried tropical fruit into batter. Pour mixture, just over the halfway point, into the prepared pan. Bake for 1¼ hours or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of the loaf comes out clean. Remove from oven. Let cool and remove from loaf pan. Combine glaze ingredients. Whisk until smooth. With a fork, poke holes in rows over the top of the loaf and drizzle glaze over the loaf. Garnish with dried fruits when serving. Serve immediately or wrap well and serve within two days. Freezes well. (If you have extra batter prepare a few cupcakes, bake for 20 minutes).