1 1/2 c All purpose flour
1 ts Ground cinnamon
1/2 ts Baking powder
1/4 ts Baking soda
1/4 ts Ground cloves
1 c Dried cranberries, dried
-pitted cherries, or
Snipped dates
1/2 c Dried blueberries OR raisins
1/3 c Chopped hazelnuts OR pecans
2 Eggs
3/4 c Packed brown sugar
1/2 c Orange juice
1/3 c Cooking oil
Brandy
Grease bottom and sides of four 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 x 1 1/2-inch loaf pans.
(Greasing the sides only partway up will result in nicely rounded tops and
prevent unwanted rims along the edges.) Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, cinnamon, baking powder,
baking soda, and cloves. Add cranberries or cherries, blueberries or
raisins, and hazelnuts or pecans.
In a medium mixing bowl, beat eggs; stir in brown sugar, orange juice, and
cooking oil. Stir into fruit mixture. Spoon about 3/4 cup of the batter
into each pan, stirring batter often.
Bake loaves in a 300 degree F oven about 40 minutes or till a toothpick
inserted near the center of each loaf comes out clean. Cool the loaves in
the pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove loaves from pans. Cool
thoroughly on wire racks.
Wrap loaves in brandy-moistened cheesecloth. Over-wrap with foil. To mellow
flavors, store in the refrigerator for up to 8 weeks. Remoisten cheesecloth
with about 1 Tablespoon of brandy once a week or as needed. Makes 4 loaves,
8 servings each.
Yields
4 Servings