Cranberry Bread

I had a pint of gorgeous organic cranberries in the fridge that weren't going to be good much longer. I had planned to make a decadent, rich cranberry upside down cake... but this evening I realized I didn't want something that sweet. So I set about baking a cranberry loaf that was less sweet than usual and featured the tart bite of the garnet colored berries. As opposed to the classic yellow color I generally associate with cranberry bread, I used Turbinado sugar to give it a rich brown tone and fuller flavor. I replaced the milk and butter with rice milk and Earth Balance margarine to make the recipe dairy-free / pareve since GFCF is the diet that my gut likes best and I overdid it on the dairy over my Thanksgiving vacation. This loaf should last me all week, my breakfast plan is to lightly toast a thick slice and slather it with margarine or the casein-free wonder that is ghee (clarified butter). Mmm... Yes. Perfect for a chilly fall morning.

CRANBERRY BREAD

3 cups Gluten-Free Cake Flour Mix
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup fresh or defrosted frozen cranberries, chopped
1/2 cup milk or milk substitute
3/4 cup orange juice
1 cup brown or Turbinado sugar
1/2 cup melted butter or margarine
1 tablespoon lemon or orange zest
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a large loaf pan. Beat eggs and sugar with electric beater or mixer. Add butter or margarine, milk or milk substitute, orange juice, zest and vanilla. Slowly beat in baking soda, baking powder, salt, all spices and flour. Mix until combined. Gently fold in chopped cranberries. Pour into loaf pan and smooth the top of the loaf with a rubber spatula. Bake for 1 hour. Allow to cool slightly in loaf pan before inverting onto cooling rack.