Christmas Cranberry Bread

A buttery quick bread loaded with creamy white chocolate and tart cranberries topped off with white chocolate, dried cranberries, and festive sprinkles.

Can I just tell you that work has been really crazy these last few weeks?   I know that it always gets tough around the holidays but I've been stressing more than usual.  I'm not sure if it's the fact that I feel like I have a large amount of IEP's to write in a short amount of time, that I don't quite have enough planning time to get it all done, or that when I do have time the kids tend to need me for something.

Since it's been a stressful time I've been doing more baking at home.  I swear baking is the way I relax at home.   Once I get into the rhythm it's actually very soothing.  Plus, J likes helping me in the kitchen so I can get all of my prep work done while he is awake and then do the actual baking once he takes his nap.  Baking is therapeutic to me.

I tend to make a lot of quick breads around the holidays.  They are easy to make because there is no rising time and you can add fruits and spices tailored to whoever you are giving them too.  They make great holiday food gifts and are easy to take to holiday parties and gatherings.

I've actually made several versions of this Christmas Cranberry Bread in the past but I have to admit I like this one the best.   I feel like I say that a lot but I take what I've made in the past, change things for the better, and it usually turns out even better then the last time.  This bread is no different.

The cranberry bread is a cross between a quick bread and a pound cake base.  There's lots of butter and sugar in the batter.   I use whole and chopped up fresh cranberries to give it a bit of tartness along with the sweetness from the sugar.   There's also a rich, creaminess from the white chocolate that goes into the bread.

Once the bread comes out of the oven and cools you can choose to drizzle white chocolate over the top.  If you don't want to do that you can make an orange glaze instead.   Whatever you make you then need to sprinkle dried cranberries on top of the chocolate or glaze before it hardens.  I also thought it would be fun to put red and green sprinkles on top and it really made it look festive!

This bread is perfect for holiday parties because you can make a loaf or two and cut it into small slices for guests.  It's a pretty sturdy bread so it can be eaten while walking.  The sweetness of the bread and white chocolate it totally balanced with the tartness of the cranberries.  I think it's the perfect combination!

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Christmas Cranberry Bread

Yield: serves 16

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

A buttery quick bread loaded with creamy white chocolate and tart cranberries topped off with white chocolate, dried cranberries, and festive sprinkles.

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Ingredients

For the bread:

• 1 ⅔ c. flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ c. butter, softened
• 1 c. Dixie Crystals sugar
• ½ c.Dixie Crystals brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ¾ c. milk
• 4 oz. white chocolate, cut into chunks
• 1 c. fresh cranberries, half left whole and half chopped

For the topping:

• 2 oz. white chocolate
• ¼ c. dried cranberries
• red and green sprinkles

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl mix together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Mix until combined.
4. Add in the eggs and mix well.
5. Stir in the vanilla.
6. Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix well. Add in the milk and mix until combined. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix until just combined.
7. Fold in the white chocolate chunks and cranberries.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
10. Place the white chocolate in a microwave safe dish and microwave in 20 second intervals, stirring after each heating, until melted.
11. Place white chocolate in a zip top baggie, snip off the end, and drizzle over the cooled bread.
12. Quickly sprinkle the top of the bread with dried cranberries and sprinkles.
13. Allow the chocolate to harden 30 minutes then slice and enjoy!

Notes

Recipe adapted from OMG Chocolate Desserts

More Christmas Sweets Recipes:

Brownie Batter Hot Chocolate Mix from The Spiffy Cookie
Grinch Cocoa with Peppermint Marshmallows from Kate's Recipe Box
Salted Caramel Toffee Martini from Family Around the Table
Sugar Cookie Martini from The Redhead Baker
Dark Chocolate Cherry & Peppermint Snowflake Bark from Sweet Beginnings
Grinch Fudge Topped Brownies from Big Bear's Wife
Pineapple Upside Down Cake Fudge from Lady Behind the Curtain

Black Forest Tiramisu Parfait from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
Chocolate Bundt Cake from Juggling Act Mama
Eggnog cookies from Karen's Kitchen Stories
Peppermint Shortbread from Cheese Curd in Paradise