This elegant cranberry bread is the perfect treat to make in advance and then serve for brunch or during afternoon tea.
Ingredients
1/2 cup vegetable shortening, plus more for greasing pan
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
1 1/2 cups halved cranberries (fresh or thawed if frozen)
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
Method
1
Gather the ingredients.
2
Grease and flour a tube or Bundt pan, or coat with cooking spray.
3
Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the pecans evenly over bottom of pan.
4
Mix cranberries and 1/4 cup of the sugar in a small bowl; let stand while preparing batter.
5
Sift flour, remaining 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl.
6
Cut in shortening with a pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles a coarse meal.
7
Stir in the remaining pecans and lemon zest.
8
In a small bowl, whisk together eggs and milk.
9
Add all at once to flour mixture; stir just until moist.
10
Stir in sugared cranberries.
11
Spoon onto prepared pan; spread top until even.
12
Bake at 350 degrees F. for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes. Loosen around edge and center with knife; turn out onto rack. Cool completely.
13
Wrap loaf tightly. Store overnight at room temperature to allow flavors to meld and make slicing easier.