XXIII: Orange Nut Bread with Orange Cream Cheese Spread

This one looks super tasty.

Bread:
2 c sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 t salt
1 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
2/3 sugar
1/3 c sweet (unsalted) butter, softened
2 eggs
1 c freshly squeezed orange juice, with pulp
1 c chopped walnuts
1/2 t vanilla
1/2 t orange extract

Orange Cream Cheese Spread
1 1/2 lb cream cheese, softened
1 navel orange, with peel, cut into chunks
3-4 T powdered sugar

Bread:
Sift flour with salt, baking powder and soda. Cream sugar with softened butter and beat in eggs, one at a time. Add the orange juice to the sugar mixture alternately with the flour mixture. Add extracts and nuts and stir well. Pour into 3 well-greased loaf pans (3.5x6 inch). Bake at 350* for about 40 minutes, until breads test done. Remove from pans, cool and wrap. Chill well before slicing.

Spread:
Using a food processor with steel blade, combine cream cheese, orange chunks and sugar. Refrigerate for a few hours to blend the flavors.

Slice the nut bread thinly and make little sandwiches using the orange spread. Arrange on a plate and garnish with orange nasturtiums and sprigs of fresh mint. Serve with tea, iced or hot.