Tuesday, December 22, 2009

A Recipe For Something That Isn't Fruitcake

Last year on Christmas morning we awoke to find bags of homemade treats on our doorstep from a number of the neighbors. Now that I know our street does Christmas, I am in. This year I am hauling out my go-to holiday recipe for baked item gift situations, The Cranberry Bread. It is buttery and orange-y and sweet-tarty and delicious. I’ll be making a dozen loaves.

I found the original recipe in Mademoiselle Magazine sometime in the late 80’s because apparently it was my bible not only for bolero jacket designs and Terence Trent D’Arby interviews but it featured recipes that still hold up. The Mademoiselle version of the bread included coconut and pecans but I have adapted the recipe to exclude those but added double the cranberries and some extra orange zest and now it is perfect. If you really want to fall in love, eat it warm or toast it with some butter. Also: Why is Terence now calling himself “Sananda Maitreya" now? Anyone?

If you live on our block you don’t have to try the recipe yourself, just open your door on Christmas morning and dig in.

CRANBERRY BREAD
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
1 Tbs. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
2/3 cup orange juice
2 eggs, slightly beaten
3 Tbs melted, unsalted butter
2 cups fresh cranberries
1 Tbs. grated orange zest

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease an 8” X 41/2” X 3” bread pan. In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt, Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the orange juice, eggs and melted butter. Mix well. Blend in cranberries and orange zest. Pour mixture into the loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove bread from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove bread from pan and cool completely. Wrap in plastic wrap. I like to wrap it again in foil, over the plastic. Makes 1 loaf. Or it also makes 2 wonderful mini loaves, if that’s your deal.

9 comments:

  1. Have you ever made this with salty butter? Wondering if it would be okay, since there is salt in the recipe.

    I have unsalted butter right now - but It would be great to know for later.

    Captcha: Frickyf (wowsa!)

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  2. Salty butter is glorious. My mom uses it exclusively in everything.

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  3. yum! thank you! and "sign your name" is a HUGE guilty pleasure of mine. cranberry orange bread too.

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  4. Think I'll try muffining this.

    Seems like it would work. And be yummy.

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  5. Yum! I think I'm done baking for this year, but I'll remember this for the next time I need to bake something fabulous.

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  6. we eat Cranberry Bread every year and YUM!

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  7. Where are the gumdrops? Nutmeg?

    Apparently, you STILL need help with Christmas.

    It MUST be inedible.

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  8. Hi there,

    You ask: "Why is Terence now calling himself “Sananda Maitreya" now? Anyone?"

    This recent interview will shed a light, you can listen or download it here on this Spanish site:
    http://blog.m80radio.com/que-fue-de/2009/12/sananda-maitreya.html

    click on "AUDIO ENTREVISTA SANANDA MAITREYA"
    (yes it's in English).

    With musical greetings,
    Lily
    Sananda's webmistress

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