MAKES 1 LOAF
Fresh or frozen cranberries (not thawed) will work here. Click here for information on toasting nuts. The test kitchen’s preferred loaf pan measures 8½ by 4½ inches; if you use a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan, start checking for doneness 5 minutes earlier than advised in the recipe. See the sidebar that follows the recipe.
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⅔ |
cup buttermilk |
|
6 |
tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled |
|
1 |
tablespoon grated orange zest plus ⅓ cup juice |
|
1 |
large egg, lightly beaten |
|
2 |
cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour |
|
1 |
cup (7 ounces) sugar |
|
1 |
teaspoon salt |
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1 |
teaspoon baking powder |
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¼ |
teaspoon baking soda |
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5¼ |
ounces (1½ cups) fresh or frozen cranberries, chopped coarse |
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½ |
cup pecans or walnuts, toasted and chopped coarse |
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 8½ by 4½-inch loaf pan. Stir together buttermilk, melted butter, orange zest and juice, and egg in small bowl. Whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in second large bowl. Stir liquid ingredients into dry ingredients with rubber spatula until just moistened. Gently stir in cranberries and pecans (do not overmix).
2. Scrape batter into loaf pan and spread with rubber spatula into corners of pan. Bake until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, 55 minutes to 1¼ hours, rotating pan halfway through baking. Let loaf cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack and let cool for 1 hour before serving.