My Christmas baking is just getting started. I have a lot of gifts to bake this year. First off, I started with Cranberry Orange Bread. I don't know anyone who doesn't like a nice, thick slice of this bread for breakfast or as a snack.
I made several loaves, and have them all wrapped and in the freezer except for this one. I don't glaze them until I give them away. I just take them out of the freezer the night before they are gifted, let them thaw overnight, then mix up the glaze and drizzle it over the top before I wrap it up for giving. I insert toothpicks on top, cover it loosely with Saran Wrap, and then put it in a cardboard bread box for gift delivery. I buy my cake, pie, cookie, and bread boxes every year at The Christmas Tree Shoppe.
Here is the recipe I use:
Cranberry Orange Bread
2-3/4 cup flour
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
3-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 egg, large
1 cup milk
1/2 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons vegetable oil (I use canola)
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
2 cups fresh cranberries, roughly chopped (I chop mine in the food processor)
1 apple, peeled, cored, and diced
For glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1-2 tablespoons orange juice
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease and flour 2 loaf pans, 8" X 4".
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the first 7 ingredients (all the dry ingredients). In a separate medium sized bowl, whisk the egg, milk, orange juice, oil, and grated orange zest.
4. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until blended. There should be no clumps.
5. Fold in the cranberries and the apple.
6. Pour the batter evenly into the two prepared pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean.
7. Let the bread cool in the pans for 15 minutes. Then remove from the pan and transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely.
8. For glaze, mix powdered sugar with enough orange juice to make a thick glaze. Drizzle over the top of each loaf.
Enjoy!
Next I will be baking some pumpkin bread with a gingerbread crumble topping. I will post that in a day or two! See you then!
