Quick Breads are just that, fast to make. They are made with a combination of soda and baking powder for leavening instead of yeast. They store well wrapped in foil. They can be frozen or refrigerated for up to a month without changing the quality.
Place the following in a mixer:
4 cups unbleached flour
2 cups sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt (absolutely necessary to control the chemical reaction between the soda and baking powder)
1 teaspoon baking soda
Mix thoroughly, then add:
4 tablespoons margarine, shortening, or butter
1 1/2 cups orange juice (Sometimes I add undiluted thawed frozen concentrate. Wow, what a boost in flavor.)
The grated peel of one large orange
2 eggs
Mix until the margarine is incorporated into the mixture.
Add a bag of fresh cranberries coarsely chopped and a cup or more of nuts. One to two cups of dried cranberries can be substituted if you wish. You can even add chopped dried apricots.
The batter will be very thick. Pour into greased aluminum loaf pans and bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes. You can use the old toothpick method if you are uncertain if the bread is done. Cool completely before wrapping in foil.
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