Cook the Book: Pumpkin Walnut Cranberry Quickbread

Ingredients

• 2.8 teaspoons baking soda 
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon 
• 2 cups cranberries 
• 5 large eggs lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt 
• 1.3 teaspoons nutmeg 
• 1  orange zest 
• 2.7 cups pumpkin puree 
• 2.5 cups sugar 
• 10 servings sugar for sprinkling on top of the loaves
• 4.1 cups flour all-purpose
• 10 ounces butter unsalted melted
• 1.3 cups walnut pieces toasted
• 0.9 cup water 

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• oven
• whisk
• mixing bowl
• wire rack
• loaf pan
• toothpicks
• aluminum foil

Directions

1. Position one rack in the top third of the oven, and preheat the oven to 350&fegF. Grease the loaf pans.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter, cooled slightly, with the eggs.
3. Whisk in the pumpkin puree and sugar. Stir the orange zest into the water then add to the pumpkin mixture and whisk to combine.
4. In a separate bowl, add the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and whisk together.
5. Pour the dry ingredients into the liquid ingredients and fold gently until almost combined, then add the cranberries and walnuts. Finish with a few gentle strokes combine without over-mixing.
6. Divide the batter evenly between the 2 prepared loaf pans.
7. Sprinkle the top of each loaf lightly with the turbinado sugar, about 1 tablespoon per loaf, to form a crystal crust.
8. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle of the loaf.
9. Cool the loaves in the pan for 15 minutes, then carefully turn them out of the pans and place the loaves on a wire rack until completely cooled. Wrap in plastic film and store in the refrigerator. These loaves keep well for 3 to 4 days, and freeze well if wrapped in plastic and then foil.