Cranberry Cheese Bread
A unique sweet bread that is perfect for gift giving. Bursting with cranberries and nuts, this loaf has an undeniable holiday feel.
The recipe includes cheese, but doesn’t taste like cheese! I promise.
Cranberry Cheese Bread
3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup Sucanat
½ stick butter
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
¼ cup orange juice
1 Tablespoon grated orange zest
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 cup shredded cheese
1 1/4 cups dried cranberries
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
In a small bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix sucanat, butter, and egg with an electric beater. Add the buttermilk, orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla, beat until fully incorporated.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Stir to combine.
Add cranberries, nuts, and cheese. Stir until evenly mixed. This will make a very thick batter.
Divide batter evenly between two well-greased loaf pans. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour (mine took an hour).
Cool completely before slicing.
Freezes well.
Soaking Method:
If you wish to soak the flour before baking (to reduce phytic acid), then mix melt the butter and mix with the flour and buttermilk. Let sit out, covered, for about 12-24 hours.
When ready to cook, beat the sucanat, orange juice, zest, egg, and vanilla together. Mix into the soaked dough. This is very difficult to do by hand! At least for me it was. I had to break out the Bosch and mix in there with the dough hook.
Once incorporated, add the baking powder, soda, and salt. Stir well. Add the nuts, cheese and cranberries and proceed as directed above.
I've submitted this recipe to the Hearth and Soul Hop at A Moderate Life. Which always hosts a large number of interesting and delicious recipes. I recommend you hop on over for a visit.
I also added this post to the Whole Foods for the Holidays – Bread Dishes over at A Little Bit of Spain in Iowa. Part id the Real Food Progressive Dinner! Fun.
I would never have thought that cheese could go so well with a cranberry bread. You’ve opened my eyes to something new. By the way, I’m holding a CSN giveaway on my blog and you’re welcome to come by and enter. http://sweet-as-sugar-cookies.blogspot.com/2010/11/45-csn-giveaway.html
Hi stacie!!!! So GLAD to see you posting on the hearth and soul hop this week. Missed you girl and I hope all is well with you and your lovely family! You know, I always love a “secret ingredient” in something that makes it so rich and delicious! What type of cheese did you use? I would assume a milder cheddar or a colby or jack would work well! Going to definitely share this on my hearth and soul hop recipe highlights on a moderate life this friday because it really is so unique and would make a lovely holiday gift. All the best! hugs. Alex
Your cranberry cheese bread looks wonderful. What a great holiday recipe. I will have to give it a try. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Miz Helen
can you use fresh cranberries? If so would you use the same amount or more/less?
I think fresh cranberries would work in this. My only concern would be that dried cranberries are slightly sweetened and fresh are quite tart. So, maybe use less cranberries, or increase the sucanat a little.
Great recipe, this would be great toasted for a grab and go, high protein breakfast. Thanks.
Cheese?!?! Get out!!!! What a brilliant idea for this type of bread. How unusual, I love it. I think I might have to make a loaf just to satisfy that part of my brain which is wondering how it would taste. Thanks for sharing with the Hearth and Soul hop.
That sounds delicious!
Ohh that looks and sounds great! Baking is a passion of mine so this recipe will definitely be tried out this season 🙂 Thanks for sharing it.