This oh so scrumptious bread is a dynamite combination of flavours. The roasted walnuts are rich and crunchy, and the tart cranberries and orange zest create an explosion for your taste buds. The recipe makes two loaves – one to enjoy fresh out of the oven the other to tuck in your freezer or share with a friend
| WALNUT CRANBERRY ORANGE BREAD | Print |
- 3½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp. salt
- 1½ tsp baking soda
- 2¼ cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cups vegetable or canola oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1¼ cups buttermilk
- zest and juice from one large orange
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1¾ cups cranberries, fresh or frozen
- 1 cup walnuts, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped
- Preheat oven to 350 F. and lightly grease and flour two 9 by 5-inch loaf pans.
- Into a large bowl add the flour, salt and baking soda and whisk to combine.
- In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment beat the sugar and oil until thoroughly combined; the mixture will look sandy.
- Whisk the eggs.
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly add eggs to the sugar mixture and mix well.
- Whisk together the buttermilk, orange zest and juice and vanilla.
- Add one-third of the dry ingredients and incorporate on low speed, then increase the speed to medium and mix for one minute.
- Add half the buttermilk mixture and mix briefly just to incorporate.
- Add half of the remaining dry ingredient, and incorporate before increasing the speed to medium for one minute.
- Repeat with remaining buttermilk mixture and the remaining dry ingredients.
- Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
- Fold the cranberries and walnuts into the batter with a spatula. Scrape the sides of the bowl.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
- Bake the loaves for 60 to 75 minutes rotating the pans half way through the baking. (omit rotating pans if using convection bake)
- The loaves will be golden brown with cracked tops, and a skewer inserted in the center should come out clean and dry.
CHEF NOTES; You might be tempted to skip roasting your walnuts but please don’t. A light toasting brings out the best in most nuts, highlighting their naturally rich, sweet flavours. To toast shelled nuts spread the nuts in a single layer on a baking pan and bake in a 350F oven until the nuts are lightly fragrant and just hot to the touch. Depending on the nut, this will take from 7 to 10 minutes. Watch them closely, as they can go from just right to burned in a matter of seconds. Chop your nuts coarsely after baking.
