Our favorite Cranberry-Apricot-Nut Bread
We posted the recipe for this quick bread 2 years ago, but when I searched the archives, it didn’t appear to be there…ah well, the mysteries of the inter-web! This is sooo good, it deserves a second chance at posterity. It might look like fruit cake, but you won’t want to re-gift it! It is particularly good at the holidays because it’s pretty and festive and it travels very well: perfect for gift giving. We hope you enjoy it!
4 cups flour
1 ¾ cu
ps sugar
1 tablespoon and 2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly ground if possible
Scant 1 teaspoon salt
2 cups fresh cranberries, roughly chopped
1 ½ cups dried apricots, roughly chopped
2 cups walnuts, finely chopped
4 eggs
½ pound butter, melted and cooled a bit
1 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh orange zest
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray loaf pans generously with non stick cooking spray.
In a large bowl, whisk together first 5 ingredients. Add fruit and nuts and mix together well to break up any lumps of apricots and distribute fruit evenly through the flour. (It’s easiest to do this with your hands).
In a smaller bowl, whisk the eggs, butter, orange juice and zest together until combined. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour wet ingredients inside. Using a large spatula, combine wet and dry until no flour is visible. Divide batter between loaf pans and place in hot oven. Large loaves may take over an hour to cook through. Smaller loaves usually take 50 to 60 minutes. Be sure to test for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center. When it comes out clean, it’s ready. Cool completely on wire rack before unmolding.
Yield=2 large loaves or 4 small