Recipes for Yummy Cranberry Breads

Whether to enjoy with friends over coffee, give as gifts, breakfast on the go, loved ones lunchboxes, etc, tasty sweet breads are always a hit. Try these breads featuring delicious tangy healthy cranberries for a real treat. The Glazed Cranberry-Nut Tea Bread is a tasty combination of cranberry, orange, and pecans with an orange glaze; yummy! The Upside Down Muffins combine the tartness of cranberries with the sweetness of raisins.

Glazed Cranberry-Nut Tea Bread

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
• 3/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries
• 2 tsp grated orange peel
• Glaze, optional (recipe follows)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour a 9 x 5-inch pan; set aside.

In a large mixer bowl beat the butter and sugar together at medium speed of electric mixer until fluffy. Add the egg beating until blended in.

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together and add to the butter mixture alternately with the buttermilk and orange juice. Begin and end the alternating process with the flour. Stir in the pecans, cranberries, and orange peel. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake bread at 350 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. If desired, use toothpick to poke some holes in the top and pour the following glaze over the still warm bread. Remove from the pan to a wire rack to cool.

Glaze:

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp grated orange peel
• 2 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice

Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Pour over the warm bread.

Cranberry Upside Down Raisin Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cranberries
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1 egg
• 1 cup low-fat milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Lightly grease or spray with nonstick cooking spray, 12 muffin cups.

Cut cranberries in half; divide evenly among the 12 prepared muffin cups. Spoon 1 teaspoon of the melted butter into each of the cups, over the berries. Divide the brown sugar evenly over the berries and butter.

In a large mixing bowl stir together the flours, baking powder, granulated sugar, salt, and raisins.

In a smaller mixing bowl, beat the egg; mix in the milk and remaining butter. Add egg mixture to the flour mixture, stirring just until moistened. Spoon the batter evenly over the berries, etc in the muffin cups.

Bake at 400 degrees approximately 30 minutes until golden brown. Allow the muffins to sit in the pan on a wire rack for a few minutes until the bubbling stops. Carefully turn muffins out and serve upside down.

Enjoy!

The Author:

You will find more of Linda’s ‘sweet’ recipes at http://ladybugssweettreats.blogspot.com