2 1/2 c. flour
1 3/4 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. chopped nuts
1 tsp. baking soda
1 c. buttermilk
2 eggs, beaten
1 c. raisins, currants or other dried fruit

Combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in chopped nuts. Remove 1/2 cup of the mixture and set aside.

Mix 1 tsp. baking soda into remaining flour mixture, then beat in buttermilk and eggs. Add fruit and stir into batter just enough to moisten. Turn into 2 greased and floured loaf pans, sprinkle reserved flour mixture over tops, and bake 35 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from pans and cool on a cake rack. Cut into thin slices to serve.

Candied fruit may be substituted for the raisins. This makes a nice fruit bread for Christmas snacks.