Holiday Baking and gifting is a joy! That is if you a good baker. I have never been nor do I think I ever will be so I hoard recipes that are easy and great tasting. I am a firm believer in the mantra that the fewer the ingredients the better the quality of those ingredients must be. Each ingredient is part of the band and each must sing on it’s own.
Favorites are Christmas crack, brownie finger and different breads. Some refer to them as quick breads. You know the old standards nut bread, banana bread and two that I have added this year. Orange Cranberry and Lemon Blueberry. Most of these recipes I have gathered from people and articles over the years. I am sure everyone has a favorite one and probably are all pretty much the same recipes with an extra pinch of this instead of a pinch of that. Now these are my favorites.
This year I purchased foil pans with cute holiday card board tops, but some of the breads were “puffier'” so I wrapped each a touch
differently. I took each bread out of the foil pan when completely cooled ( and I mean completely cooled or they will get moldy) wrapped in plastic wrap and put back in the foil plan. If the breads were flat on top I used the cute holiday card board covers and ties with ribbon or bakers twine. If “puffier” I did not use the card board top just wrapped with a piece of parchment or extra wrapping paper and then tied with ribbon or twine. Some I put in gift bags if multiple items were gifted.
The thing is who does not like receive a small token of thoughtfulness, personal time given? This something a little sweet and tart to show someone you are thinking of them. And this bread is not only easy to make but so festive looking as well. This recipe makes 1 regular loaf or 3 mini loaves. I am going to try this recipe in muffins next!
Cranberry Orange Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp grated orange zest
- 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
- 1/4 cups salted or unsalted butter-softened
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 Egg
- 3/4 cup Orange juice (fresh or good quality purchased)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 f
- Grease or spray loaf pan(s). Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir in orange zest, cranberries (and nuts if using- see notes) Set aside.
- In a large bowl cream together butter, sugar and egg until smooth. Stir in orange juice.
- Beat in flour mixture until just moistened. Do not over work this batter.
- Pour into prepared pan(s)
- Bake for 1 hour or until bread springs back and lightly touched. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack .
- Cool completely then wrap in plastic wrap.
Notes
- Can add 1.2 cup of chopped pecans. I do not add nuts to anything that will be gifted due to allergies.
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