If you are a cranberry lover, as I am, then you will agree that there is no need to wait until Christmas to enjoy the delicious taste of cranberries. I never did like raisins and so dried cranberries, or Craisins as they are called, are just about the best possible alternative and are so much more versatile than the plain and homely raisin. Not that raisins don't have their place, but on a personal level I much prefer the sweet and delectable flavor of Craisins and in my mind a nut bread is one of the perfect places to show off their beautiful red color and sweet-tart taste. This kind of bread is also called a 'quick' bread mainly because it uses soda and baking powder as the main raising agent rather than yeast which takes time for the bread to 'rise' before it is baked. But it isn't quick as far as the time it takes to bake it and so, if it is one of those things you decide to make for a special event, make sure you make it ahead of time and give it the full hour to 70 minutes to bake completely. There is something gross about biting into a piece of quick bread that is still doughy in the middle and you definitely do not want that. Also, combining it in the recipe with orange juice and grated orange rind is a wonderful way to bring out the full flavor of the cranberries and also gives them a nice contrast. They are a perfect combo in this recipe. As I've said in the recipe below, the nuts are optional because I know that there are some who simply cannot tolerate nuts in any way shape or form and if you are one of these persons, then just leave them out. Of course, then you can't call it a 'nut' bread, but that's really not important.
If this recipe seems like a lot, it is purposely so because as long as you're going to the trouble of heating up your oven and making one loaf of bread, you may as well make two and either freeze one for later or give it away unless you have a need for two. It's nice to serve for breakfast or a brunch or simply just for the fun of having it. You might even get away with serving it for dessert if you don't happen to have anything else on hand and you just want to have something a little different. Spreading it with cream cheese in place of butter also gives it a boost in popularity and makes it all the more delicious not to mention fattening unless you use fat-free cream cheese which sort of defeats the purpose of cream cheese as far as I'm concerned, but to each his or her own. And so, on with the recipe:
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ cup (one cube) butter
2 eggs
1 ½ cups orange juice
2 tablespoons grated orange peel
1 ½ cups dried cranberries
1 cup chopped walnuts or sliced almonds (optional)
1. In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Beat egg, orange juice and peel; stir into dry ingredients just until blended. Add the cranberries and nuts.
2. Spoon batter into a greased and floured 8-in. x 4-in. x 2-in. loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 65-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Makes 2 medium-size loaves with 8-10 slices each. Enjoy!
If you are a cranberry lover, as I am, then you will agree that there is no need to wait until Christmas to enjoy the delicious taste of cranberries. I never did like raisins and so dried cranberries, or Craisins as they are called, are just about the best possible alternative and are so much more versatile than the plain and homely raisin. Not that raisins don't have their place, but on a personal level I much prefer the sweet and delectable flavor of Craisins and in my mind a nut bread is one of the perfect places to show off their beautiful red color and sweet-tart taste. This kind of bread is also called a 'quick' bread mainly because it uses soda and baking powder as the main raising agent rather than yeast which takes time for the bread to 'rise' before it is baked. But it isn't quick as far as the time it takes to bake it and so, if it is one of those things you decide to make for a special event, make sure you make it ahead of time and give it the full hour to 70 minutes to bake completely. There is something gross about biting into a piece of quick bread that is still doughy in the middle and you definitely do not want that. Also, combining it in the recipe with orange juice and grated orange rind is a wonderful way to bring out the full flavor of the cranberries and also gives them a nice contrast. They are a perfect combo in this recipe. As I've said in the recipe below, the nuts are optional because I know that there are some who simply cannot tolerate nuts in any way shape or form and if you are one of these persons, then just leave them out. Of course, then you can't call it a 'nut' bread, but that's really not important.
If this recipe seems like a lot, it is purposely so because as long as you're going to the trouble of heating up your oven and making one loaf of bread, you may as well make two and either freeze one for later or give it away unless you have a need for two. It's nice to serve for breakfast or a brunch or simply just for the fun of having it. You might even get away with serving it for dessert if you don't happen to have anything else on hand and you just want to have something a little different. Spreading it with cream cheese in place of butter also gives it a boost in popularity and makes it all the more delicious not to mention fattening unless you use fat-free cream cheese which sort of defeats the purpose of cream cheese as far as I'm concerned, but to each his or her own. And so, on with the recipe:
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ cup (one cube) butter
2 eggs
1 ½ cups orange juice
2 tablespoons grated orange peel
1 ½ cups dried cranberries
1 cup chopped walnuts or sliced almonds (optional)
1. In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Beat egg, orange juice and peel; stir into dry ingredients just until blended. Add the cranberries and nuts.
2. Spoon batter into a greased and floured 8-in. x 4-in. x 2-in. loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 65-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
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