Great Aunt Ann's Cranberry Bread

I found this wonderful recipe in a family cookbook and thought I would share it.  It's great around the holidays when cranberries are in season.  It freezes well and makes a great gift!  Can be made into muffins for a quick breakfast.

Great Aunt Ann's Cranberry Bread

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1 cup fresh cranberries, chopped
• zest of 1/2 an orange
• 3/4 cup orange juice
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts, optional

 

Makes 1 loaf or 12 muffins
Cook Time: 1 hour

Preheat oven to 350.
Cream shortening and sugar until thoroughly combined; add egg and zest.  Meanwhile, whisk, or sift, together all dry ingredients.  Add half the dry ingredients, half the juice, the remaining dry ingredients, remaining juice, mix until just combined.  Stir in cranberries and nuts, if using.
Pour mixture into a greased loaf pan or muffin pan and bake for one hour or until tester stick comes out clean.  Let cool until pan is cool enough to handle, then invert onto a cooling rack.