Cranberry Nut Bread

When the winter holidays roll around, I always dig into the pile of family recipes that have been 'tried and true' over the years. One of the usual suspects is this cranberry nut bread. My mother made it every year with big old chunks of walnuts and fresh cranberries washed and cut in half. This quick bread is not an overly sweet affair ... it has fresh squeezed orange juice and orange zest that add to the tang of the cranberries and a mere three-quarters cup sugar. It is a bulky bread that slices and toasts beautifully and holds up to a slather of soft melting butter ... yum! We always have it with a cup of coffee first thing in the morning.

This year I'm baking a couple large loaves, but in the past I have made mini-loaves and wrapped them for mailing and giving to friends and neighbors. So pretty and tasty! This loaf has a nice shiny crust and the nuts and cranberries give it nice color, as well as taste.

What are you baking this week for Christmas knoshing?

Cranberry Nut Bread - printer friendly

Cranberry Nut Bread

Ingredients:

2 c. all-purpose white flour
½ tsp. salt
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
¾ c. sugar
Zest of one orange
Juice of one orange
2 tbsp. soft butter
Boiling water
1 large egg, beaten
1 c. chopped walnuts
1 c. fresh cranberries, washed and halved

Making the Bread:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 325° F and grease a large loaf pan.

2. Sift together: flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar.

3. Place the squeezed orange juice and butter in a one-cup measuring cup and fill the cup to the one cup line with boiling water. Stir to melt the butter.

4. Add the water/juice/butter mixture to the dry ingredients.

5. Add the beaten egg and orange zest - mix well.

6. Fold in the nuts and the cranberries.

7. Turn the batter into the loaf pan and place in the center of a pre-heated oven.

8. Bake 45 minutes to one hour or until a cake tester comes clean when inserted in the center of the loaf.

9. Remove from the pan and cool on a rack. If freezing for later use, cool a few minutes and wrap closely in foil while still warm to conserve moisture. Continue to cool wrapped bread and then freeze.