Cranberry-Orange Bread

I love this bread recipe from my Mom.  It's dangerous to have it at our house though, because I am (usually) the only one who enjoys it.  (Imagine.)  Yes, dangerous indeed.  It is a pretty and fragrant bread to give as a gift, too! -- just sayin.  I love to make it at the holidays because it looks so festive.  Yesterday, I realized that I still had cranberries left -- so one more loaf for us (me)!

A couple of years ago I made several attempts at the bread, and most of them failed.  Something was just not right.  Perhaps a key ingredient got skipped?  This year, I decided to head failure off at the pass.  I really wanted this potentially yummy bread to turn out this time.  So, I rearranged the instructions to be more similar to the way I prepare a banana bread recipe (which always turns out).

Mom's Cranberry-Orange Bread

1/4 c. margarine

1 c. sugar

1 well-beaten egg

3/4 c. orange juice

1 T. grated orange peel (fresh, or dried)

2 c. flour

1.5 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 c. fresh cranberries*, halved

1/2 c. chopped nuts, optional

*  I buy my cranberries as soon as they go on sale for the season.

I rinse them, halve them, and put them in the freezer.

As I make loaves of this bread, I just pull out the frozen berries, and add them to the batter.

In a mixer, cream the margarine and sugar.
Add the egg, orange juice, and orange peel.

Add all dry ingredients, and mix well.

Add cranberries, and fold into batter.  Turn into a greased loaf pan.

Bake at 350° for 55-65 minutes or until center is firm.

ENJOY!  (or share!)

 A little honesty?  It's quite possible that I was
not paying attention to the fact that this recipe 

calls for baking SODA and baking POWDER.  Don't make my mistake!

I'm linking up with Mique over at 30 days - thirty handmade days 

for her first "Pity Party" of 2011!

Done something creative lately?  Come join the fun!