Looking for a new mini-loaf for the holidays? This is a VERY tasty one that is easy to make (it doesn't even take a mixer). It freezes well (if there is any left) AND....it's just a little different than the routine banana breads.

Orange-Cranberry mini-loaves

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup sugar

zest of (1) orange (see note)

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs slightly beaten

1 tablespoon orange juice

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup cranberries - roughly chopped (see note)

In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt and baking powder (set aside)

In a small bowl, mix the sugar and orange zest (rub these 2 ingredients together with fingers, then mix it into the flour mixture.

In another bowl, mix the buttermilk, vegetable oil, beaten eggs, orange juice and vanilla. 

Slowly add the wet bowl to the bowl of flour-sugar. Stir just until well mixed, but don't over mix.

Gently fold in the flour coated chopped cranberries (see tip)

Divide into 3 (greased) mini loaf pans (mine are 5 3/4" x 3")

Bake in preheated 350° oven 30-35 minutes (my electric oven takes exactly 35 minutes.

Let cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then gently tip out and wrap in plastic wrap while still hot. Frost when completely cool.

FROSTING: 2 cups powdered sugar + 3 tablespoons orange juice + 1 teaspoon orange zest + 1 1/2 teasoons vanilla.  Mix well and drizzle over loaves. If it seems a little thick, add a tablespoon of milk.

TIP: I always wrap my baked goods like these sweet loaves or ANY cake, in plastic wrap while it's still HOT. Yes, you can wrap a very hot cake with plastic wrap without melting the plastic. When you cool a cake in plastic, it comes out super moist. I've done it that way for decades.

TIP: Roughly chop the cranberries (not too small) I use my food processor and just pulse in a couple of times.

TIP: I remove a scant tablespoon of the flour called for in the recipe and toss the chopped cranberries with it. That keeps them from floating to the top when the loaf bakes.

TIP: Be careful when you zest your orange. Don't get ANY of the white pith from under the bright orange skin because it's bitter. 

TIP: When you put the zest into the sugar, take an extra few seconds to really rub the sugar and zest together with your fingers.

ENJOY !!!!!

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December 17, 2020

This blueberry bread is easy,sweet, tasty and super moist. In fact, it stays moist for several days (if it lasts that long).

BLUEBERRY BREAD

1 1/2 cups flour plus 1 tablespoon (divided)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup blueberries (I used frozen)

Mix flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.

Beat eggs, sugar, sour cream, vegetable oil, lemon zest and vanilla until smooth and blended.

Add the flour/baking powder and salt mixture into the egg mixture and stir just until blended.

Toss the blueberries with 1 tablespoon reserved flour and then GENTLY fold them into the batter. NOTE: If you are using fresh blueberries, rinse them a little so that the reserved tablespoon of flour sticks to the berries (this will stop the berries from sinking to the bottom of the loaf while baking).

Pour batter into a greased and floured 9" x 5" loaf pan ( I lined mine with parchment and then sprayed it with cooking spray).

Bake in pre-heated 350 oven for 1 hour and 5 minutes (1 hour and 10 minutes if you are using frozen blueberries) or until toothpick tests clean. Let the finished bread sit in the pan for 20 minutes, then turn out onto cooling rack. Wrap HOT blueberry bread in plastic wrap and let it cool to room temperature.

ENJOY !!!

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July 22, 2018