Cranberry-Nut Bread

The following is an excerpt from America: Ready-to-Use Interdisciplinary Lessons & Activities for Grades 5-12 :

The forests of New England provided the early colonists with an assortment of berries such as cranberries, blueberries, blackberries, and gooseberries. The fruits were eaten plain, with cream, dried, or in baked goods.

Cranberry bread would not have appeared on the table of the first colonists who settled in the New England Colonies because they had no baking powder. However, as soon as shipments arrived to provide them with a few luxury items, many types of muffins, breads, and cakes were baked. This recipe makes 1 loaf.

You need:

• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup orange juice
• 2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• dash salt
• 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, chopped

What to do:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Grease 8-1/2" x 4-1/2" x 2-1/2" bread pan.
3. In a mixing bowl, beat egg. Then add vegetable oil and orange juice. Blend thoroughly with a hand mixer.
4. Add flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Blend together until thoroughly mixed.
5. By hand, stir in chopped cranberries and nuts.
6. Spread evenly into bread pan.
7. Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
8. Cool 5 minutes, then loosen sides from pan. Place bread on a cooling rack to cool completely.
9. Slice the bread and serve with margarine or cream cheese, if desired.