Memory Bread - Cranberry Orange Bread with Oat Streusel Topping

Last year, my mother-in-law started a new tradition for the holidays and I want to share it with you. Every year from now on, whether we all spend Christmas or Thanksgiving together, we are going to make a "Memory Bread." All the females will gather together in the kitchen and make some type of bread for the family to share. Once the bread is baked and cooled, we will round up the guys and all sit down together. We all have a slice of the bread and go around sharing a favorite family memory from the past year. The ladies take turn each year coming up with a new recipe. Last year, Momma Hann came up with Zucchini Pineapple bread. This year, I came up with a cranberry orange bread recipe.

 Cranberry Orange Bread with Oat Streusel Topping

I thought this would be a great bread for the holidays because of the tart, in season cranberries. I know sometimes fresh cranberries are hard to find throughout the year, so stock up on them now and freeze them! They save very well! 

This bread has a sweet and tart flavor and makes the kitchen smell amazing! The sweet crumbly oat topping is the perfect pairing for the snappy burst of flavor that the cranberries give off. And I love the bits of orange zest that you see as you slice into the bread! 

I adapted this bread from a batch of Cranberry Tangerine Muffins that I made around Thanksgiving last year. Don't let the list of ingredients scare you; it is a quick bread to put together. And it's worth it!

Cranberry Orange Bread with Oat Streusel Topping

adapted from cranberry tangerine muffins

       makes 1 loaf

3/4 C whole wheat flour

3/4 C all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1 egg

2/3 C milk (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk, regular is fine)

1/4 C vegetable oil

3/4 C sugar

2 T orange zest (I used 2 large oranges)

1/4 C fresh juice from orange

1 1/4 C cranberries cut in half

1/2 C chopped pecans (walnuts would also be great)

Streusel Topping

1/4 C flour

1/4 C oats

2 T brown sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

2 T canola oil

Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, mix together the streusel ingredients and set aside. 

In a large bowl, mix together the flours, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. In a medium bowl, mix together the egg, milk, oil and sugar. Add in the zest and juice. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir just until incorporated; do not over mix. Gently fold in the cranberries and chopped nuts.

Prepare a loaf dish with Baker's Joy, and pour in the batter.

Sprinkle the streusel on top. 

Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. (I baked mine for 45 minutes)

Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack. Cool completely and remove from dish. 

Slice it up and serve.

I hope you will start a new tradition like this! I can't wait to get back to Kansas next week for Christmas and hear what everyone's favorite family memory was from the past year! We have had several exciting things happen in 2011! I have a lot to be grateful for, and I hope you do too. 

click to print