Apricot, orange, cranberry bread – perfect for the holidays

The holiday season is in full swing. From movies to holiday dinners, there are so many things that make this ‘the most wonderful time of year.’ Among the things I love are the flavors of the season, especially oranges and cranberries. That’s why when I saw this recipe on the Food Network, I wanted to try it. It’s been a few years since I discovered it, but it was an immediate hit at Thanksgiving. Even though we’re past that holiday, there’s plenty of the season left to enjoy this Apricot, Orange, Cranberry Bread.

Apricot, orange, and cranberry flavors

If I had to pick one fruit as my absolute favorite, it would probably be the orange. Juicy and sweet, the flavor of oranges blend into this bread beautifully. And the beauty of it is, you don’t even need fresh oranges to pull this one off. Everybody’s got orange juice in the fridge or freezer, right? 

We’re also big fans of fresh cranberries. We buy several bags, make our own cranberry sauce (which also has some orange juice added!), and freeze the rest of the berries for recipes. When you throw those tart little berries in a recipe with all the other sweetness, it all balances out. Because fresh apricots can be hard to find (at a reasonable price) this time of year, we used dried Turkish apricots. They’re still soft and, once chopped up and baked…yum! 

Mini-loaves make great gifts

If you don’t want all that bread around the house, use some of the mini-loaves as gifts! Spread the joy of the season by wrapping loaves in foil and distributing them to your friends and family. After all, what’s better than a gift made by you? 

Want to try another great gluten-free recipe? Take a look at this recipe for Coconut Rice with Shrimp and Corn. Click here to view more Friday Morning Post entries, or you can follow me on Twitter.

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Apricot, orange, and cranberry bread

Courses: Dessert, Side Dish

Prep Time 30 mins Cook Time 45 mins Total Time 1 hr 15 mins

Description

This delightful quick bread is filled with the flavors of the season. Cranberries, oranges, and apricots all blend together to make this a moist bread that’s sure to be a hit. 

Ingredients

Servings

• 3 ¹⁄₂ cup all-purpose flour (sifted) (We use Bob’s 1-1 Baking Flour for gluten-free)
• 1 ¹⁄₂ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• ¹⁄₄ lb unsalted butter (1 stick) (room temperature)
• 1 cup sugar
• 5 tsp orange zest (1 tel + 1 tsp.)
• 2 eggs
• ²⁄₃ cup orange juice
• ²⁄₃ cup milk
• ²⁄₃ cup apricots (finely chopped, may use dried apricots)
• ²⁄₃ cup walnuts (optional)
• 3 cup cranberries (chopped in food processor)

Instructions

1. Place rack in middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour five 5 3/4- by 2 1/4-inch loaf pans.

2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl. 

3. Beat in the orange zest and eggs, 1 at a time.

4. Add the orange juice and milk and beat until mixed thoroughly. It will appear curdled.

5. Add the flour mixture and beat until it is just moistened. 

6. Stir in the apricots, walnuts, and cranberries.

7. Pour the batter into the pans. Bake for 45 minutes. Test for doneness with a toothpick – it should come out clean. Remove the bread from the pans, transfer to a wire rack, and let them cool on their sides.

Keywords: quick bread, cranberries, oranges, apricots