Do you have one of those recipes that when you bite into it, it instantly brings back holiday memories? This apricot cranberry bread is one of those recipes for me! It’s not even something that we make every year. But whenever I do have a slice, it just screams “holiday”. Particularly Thanksgiving, but you can really stretch this bread as a great addition throughout the season in my opinion. In fact I’m planning to bake it in mini loaves as part of my Christmas goody give-aways this year!
Apricot Cranberry Bread Recovered
The recipe for this apricot cranberry bread is one that has been passed down among our friends for years. I actually haven’t had the recipe myself until very recently! I hadn’t come across this bread for several years. Then one Thanksgiving not that long ago it showed up at a “Friendsgiving” potluck spread. My taste bud alarms went off. WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN all these years?!?! It was like a familiar friend I hadn’t seen in years was back at the table with us.
I’m sure you can guess the rest. I promptly requested the recipe! It is stored away in my recipe archive files, never to be forgotten again.
The Family Recipe Box
And that brings us to this post. One of the things I have determined to do over time on this site is to post some favorite family recipes. “Recipe Box” recipes, if you will 🙂 Sometimes I’ll give them a fresh “healthy” update (like with these Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies). Other times I’ll post them as is. Good old fashioned favorites that deserve to be recorded somewhere others can find and enjoy them.
This apricot cranberry bread recipe is perfect as is 🙂 I haven’t modified it from it’s original. I hope over time a few others find it, try it, and let it grace their holiday gatherings in years to come. Maybe it will even make a few memories for them along the way! Maybe YOU will be the next one to try this recipe and make a few memories with it!
May your holidays always be blessed with friends, family, fond memories, and delicious food!
Equipment
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Whisk
- Wooden spoon or spatula
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour (sifted)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 1 Tbsp orange zest (zest from one orange)
- ¾ cup orange juice (about 2 navel oranges)
- 1 large egg (well beaten)
- 1 cup fresh cranberries (coarsely chopped)
- ½ cup walnuts (chopped and lightly toasted)
- 1 cup dried apricots (chopped, Mediterranean or slab apricots that are plump and full of flavor)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Grease a 9"x5"x3" loaf pan.
- Line the pan with parchment paper.
- Sift (or whisk) together dry ingredients.
- Cut in butter.
- Combine orange peel, orange juice, and egg.
- Mix wet ingredients into dry until just combined.
- Fold in berries, nuts and apricots.
- Transfer to greased & lined 9"x5"x3" loaf pan.
- Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
karen elberson
Excellent recipe!! So moist and pretty! I followed the recipe except for the addition of an extra egg as I had a broken egg in fridge I wanted to use up and I used 2/3 cup of sugar and 1/3 cup Stevia. I will definitely be making this Cranberry Apricot Bread again for special occasions!