Cranberry Bread

One never knows who/what the source of a delicious recipe may be!  Quite a few years ago one of my sons arrived home from school one afternoon with a RECIPE.  On this particular November day his school librarian had read a Thanksgiving story to his first grade class.  

Maggie & her grandmother lived in New England near a cranberry bog.  We lived in MA, so the story had kept his attention!  Her grandmother baked delicious Cranberry Bread.  Printed in the book was a recipe for the Cranberry Bread with the instructions "Get Mother to help".  My son's kind librarian had given each student a copy of the recipe to bring home to mom.  

There were bags of fresh Cranberries in our fridge, because Thanksgiving was the following week.  That weekend we baked Cranberry Bread using "his" recipe.  From that day on it became the recipe we would always use for Cranberry Bread.  It makes one mighty fine bread!  It also fit my requirements for a dessert recipe - the Sugar content was much less than the required Flour.  From the first time we baked this delicious moisty bread, I substituted 2 Egg Whites for the 1 Whole Egg.  The original recipe called for Golden Raisins and I have never used Raisins, only Cranberries. 

The recipe that became a family favorite was printed in the book Cranberry Thanksgiving by Wende and Harry Devlin.  The book is no longer printed, but the included recipe is still enjoyed by my family.  :)  It makes one delicious, colorful, tasty, moisty bread.  I usually double the recipe and bake two.

Cranberry Bread

Ingredients:

2 Cups Flour
1 Cup Sugar
1 and 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 Cup Butter/Margarine (softened)
2 Egg Whites (or 1 Whole Egg) beaten
3/4 Cup Orange Juice
1 Package Fresh Cranberries (rinsed in cold water and chopped)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Spray a 9x5 inch loaf pan with PAM.
3. Rinse Cranberries in cold water (using a colander)
4. Chop Cranberries coarsely.
5. Combine Flour, Sugar, Baking Powder, Salt and Baking Soda in large bowl.
6. Cut in Butter/Margarine (with pastry blender or two knives) until mixture is crumbly.
7. Add Egg Whites (or Egg) and Orange Juice and stir until moist.
8. Add chopped Cranberries to batter and Fold in.
9. Spoon batter into loaf pan. 
10. Bake at 350° F for 1 Hour and 10 Minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
11. Cool on rack for 10 Minutes.
12. Remove from pan and cool on rack.
13. After cool, wrap in foil.

**My Extra Notes! 

• Wait at least 5 hours after it has cooled to eat.
• If baking two breads, double recipe and stagger the pans in the oven.
• This bread Does Not Freeze Well.
• Use Fresh Cranberries, not frozen.

Two days before Thanksgiving I will be baking two Cranberry Breads.  It is the best!!!  Yummy!

Do you bake Cranberry Bread to enjoy on Thanksgiving?

Enjoy!
Yummy!