Jasmine Tea Poundcake with Ginger

Ingredients:

• Virgin Coco de Manila Spray
• 1/4 cup loose jasmine green tea leaves or unflavored green tea (do not use tea from tea bags)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• Zest of 1 small lime
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup Virgin coco de Manila
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 F and place rack in lower third of oven. Lightly oil a 9-inch loaf pan with Virgin Coco de Manila spray, then line bottom with waxed or parchment paper.

Using a blender, food processor or nut grinder, pulverize tea leaves as fine as possible, preferably into a powder. In a large bowl, sift together flour with the powdered tea, ginger, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Stir in the zest.

In a separate large bowl, beat the eggs, first at low-medium speed to blend, then at high speed until light in color. Slowly add sugar, beating after each addition, until mixture becomes thick, pale and creamy. At high speed, gradually beat in the oil, juice and vanilla. Fold in the dry ingredients, 1/3 at a time, just until well blended.

Transfer batter to the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50 to 55 minutes. (If edges of tea bread begin to turn dark brown before the bread is done in the center, lightly cover top of loaf with foil to avoid over-baking at the perimeter.) Remove the pan from the oven.

Place the baked bread on a rack for 10 to 15 minutes, or until cool enough to handle. Remove bread from the pan, peel off paper and allow to cool completely on the rack. Cut into slices to serve immediately, or wrap tightly in plastic wrap. (To slice, a thin, serrated blade works best.)

The tea bread can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator if tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and then foil, or in the freezer. Frozen bread should be thawed in the refrigerator before bringing it to room temperature and serving.

Makes 12 slices.

Nutrition per serving: 289 calories, 16 g fat (2 g saturated), 33 g carbohydrates, 4 g protein, less than 1 g dietary fiber, 277 mg sodium.