I made this cranberry bread for Thanksgiving, and my husband loved it–so did I! It is delicious, moist, and full of flavor. Not only is it the best cranberry bread I have ever eaten, but it is also easy to make. That sentence alone should make you want to run to the kitchen and whip up a loaf just in time for Christmas breakfast–or anytime!

Use your favorite orange liqueur to soak the raisins–I love Grand Marnier–then put your food processor to work coarsely chopping the cranberries, pulsing until the desired size is achieved. Both tasks may be done a day ahead. Leave the raisins on the counter at room temperature, covering and refrigerating the chopped cranberries.

Utilizing the food processor once again, pulse to combine the dry ingredients and then add the butter cubes processing till they disappear–it is a breeze. The batter may be stiff when you combine the liquids with the flour mixture, but as soon as you pour in the raisins with the liqueur the batter will loosen up. My preference is to make a smaller-sized loaf (8-1/2 x 4-1/2 x 2-3/4-inch), so after everything is combined, I scoop out 3/4-cup batter and divide it among four tall timbales, filling them half full, to make elegant little muffins to have with tea or refreshing Mimosas, using either orange juice or cranberry juice to enhance the bubbly.

Fresh Cranberry and Drunken Orange-Raisin Bread

One 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf or 8-1/2 x 4-1/2 x 2-3/4-inch loaf with extra muffins

• 1 1/2 cups light raisins
• 3/4 cup Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur, i.e., Cointreau, Curacao, DeKuyper Triple Sec, etc.

• 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped

• 2 cups flour, whisked to loosen, and then measure
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (use half as much table salt)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

• 1 egg, beaten well
• Zest from 1 navel orange
• 1 1/2 teaspoons orange flavoring
• 3/4 cup fresh orange juice or buttermilk (batter will be thicker if using buttermilk)

Special Equipment

Non-stick 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan or 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 3/4-inch loaf pan (see note below)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray loaf pan with Pam non-stick spray. Set Aside.

Place raisins in a glass microwave-proof bowl.  Pour liqueur over the raisins, mashing raisins down to totally submerge them. Microwave on high for 90 seconds. Remove from microwave and let stand, covered, overnight.

Place flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda into the bowl of a food processor and pulse till combined. Place butter in a food processor. Pulse till butter has been cut into the flour mixture and looks like a coarse meal with no visible lumps of butter.  Place the mixture in a large bowl.

Whisk together egg, orange peel, and orange juice, (or buttermilk) in a small bowl, then add to the flour-butter mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until the batter is evenly moist. Fold in liqueur-soaked raisin mixture, including the remaining liqueur, and cranberries.

Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a cake tester or wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then remove the bread from the pan and cool on a wire rack.

NOTE: If you are using an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 3/4-inch loaf pan, remove approximately ¾-cup of batter from the bowl and use it to fill mini muffin pans or regular mugging pans that have been sprayed with a non-stick spray. Cook muffins for approximately 12 – 15 minutes for mini muffins and 15-25 min for regular muffins. Check for doneness and the shortest time period with a cake tester.

Check out what to serve with this Cranberry Bread on Christmas morning by clicking on the following link:

Pioneer Woman’s Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole.