Glazed Cranberry Orange Loaves

Cranberry and orange...two flavors that go together just perfectly.  These loaves are so pretty and festive, and are great for sharing with friends and family at the holidays!

Glazed Cranberry Orange Loaves

by Susan Whempner

Bread:

3 cups flour

1 1/3 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) melted butter

1 Tablespoon fresh orange zest

1/4 cup fresh orange juice (1 medium to large orange will be enough for your zest and juice)

1 1/4 cups milk

2 eggs, room temperature

1 cup dried cranberries

Glaze:  

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 Tablespoon milk

Preheat the oven to 350.  Lightly spray the bottom only of 4 mini loaf pans and set them aside.  In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder.  Coarsely chop the pecans and add to the flour mixture.  Set aside.

In a small bowl, melt the butter in a microwave.  Zest the orange to measure 1 Tablespoon of zest.  Juice the same orange to make 1/4 cup of juice.  Warm the milk in the microwave for a few seconds, just until it feels room temperature (if you don't do this, when you add it to the melted butter it will solidify the butter...I found this out the hard way).  Add the zest, juice, and milk to the melted butter.  Quickly whisk in the eggs.  (Tip: the butter/juice/milk mixture should feel room temperature before you add the eggs.  If it is hot, the eggs will start to cook).  

Add the butter mixture to the flour mixture and combine until the dry ingredients are moistened (don't overmix).  Gently fold in the dried cranberries.  Fill each loaf pan evenly.  Bake for 40-45 minutes or until done.  Top of the loaves should be golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes and then remove the loaves to a cooling rack.  Mix up the glaze ingredients and drizzle evenly over the loaves.