When I was in 2nd grade, my class created a Thanksgiving cookbook. I have long forgotten what I — well, my mother that is — had submitted. But there was a recipe for Cranberry Bread in the hand-colored cookbook we brought home and my mother added it to her Thanksgiving repertoire. To this day, this bread is a mandatory Thanksgiving staple for me and my siblings.
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan
- 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1 bag (12 ounces) cranberries
- 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar, for topping (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees; butter and flour a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan (8-cup capacity), and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine butter, egg, and milk. Add wet mixture to dry mixture, and whisk to combine; fold in cranberries.
- Pour batter into prepared pan; sprinkle top with turbinado sugar, if desired.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack; let bread cool 30 minutes. Invert onto rack, then immediately turn right side up to cool completely.