Wholemeal cranberry and courgette loaf
Are you one of those people who have all your Christmas presents bought by the beginning of November? Do you wrap as you buy so you don’t have a last minute rush? I always intend to be that person and get off to a good start by buying stocking presents for my girls in Rossiters, a lovely, independent, department store in Bath, during August.Ā I also tuck little presents away for KP as I find them throughout the year. Aren’t men SO difficult to buy for? I start thinking about my Christmas cooking at the beginning of September and at the very least start marinating some dried fruit in liqueur ready for cake and puddings. But wrapping? Despite my best resolutions, it always ends up being a concentrated few hours very near to Christmas day. In fact it’s become a ritual. As long as I have BBC Radio 4 as background listening I can wield tape, scissors and paper with military precision.Ā Lots of tea, a glass of sherry and a slice of something moreish, also helps the time to pass bearably.
My Canadian friend Lee (who has all her shopping done and wrapped by early November) gave me this recipe near on two decades ago. It’s taken me that long to make it and now I’m wondering why. Moist, sharp, slightly sweet, the texture of the nuts and the gleaming cranberries combining in a crumbly loaf. I’ve converted it from volume to weighed measurements (i.e. cups to grams) and guessed at the amount of sugar as it was left out in the ingredients list. I’ve called it a loaf (rather than bread) as it’s cake-like in texture and not made with yeast. Believe me, it’s really good – you can eat it without any guilt whatsoever as it contains at least two of your five a day.
Wholemeal cranberry courgette loaf
Ingredients
- 45g softened, unsalted butter
- 200g dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- zest of an orange, grated
- 225g cranberry sauce
- 225g whole cranberries
- 160g wholemeal flour
- 150g plain flour
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 240g courgette, peeled and grated coarsely
- 100g walnuts, coarsely chopped
Method
- Preheat the oven to 160 C
- Grease and flour a loaf tin.
- Beat the butter, sugar and eggs together until well combined and slightly fluffy.
- Stir in the grated orange zest, cranberry sauce and cranberries.
- Fold the flours, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder in the the mixture until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Lightly fold in the grated courgette and chopped walnuts.
- Spoon the mixture into the tin and gently level the surface.Bake for about 1 hour (or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean or with a crumb attached).
- Turn out of the tin and cool on a rack. Serve plain or spread with unsalted butter.
Are you super-organised and wrap as you go along? Or are you guilty of a late-in-the-day wrap-fest like me?
My Custard Pie 
What a gorgeous loaf. I tend to prefer this kind of loaf to actual cake. I leave my wrapping until the last minute too. When my kids were small it would always be after they’d gone to bed on Xmas Eve – drinking Santa’s whisky as I wrapped! Happy Christmas Sally.
This looks absolutely delish! I usually make my popular pumpkin bread every year, but I think I might give this a shot! Thank you!
Oh, if you have a minute, check out my blog! š
http://www.lanashealthblog.wordpress.com
Intriguing recipe, Sally – I’d give it a try but I have to get the wrapping done …
Merry Christmas!
A wonderful loaf! Perfect with a good cuppa.
I’m the kind of person who leaves things to the last minute, but this year I decided that it was going to be different…
Cheers,
Rosa
This loaf would be a lovely gift. It looks delicious and the cranberries give it a festive look.
Wrap as I go along! From the summer sales to the day before! Happy holidays!
Sounds delicious and the cranberries make it so pretty!
You sound awesomely organised. I have wrapped everything which is a couple of days earlier than normal, but everything else is still to do. Love the look of this loaf, perfect for curling up with watching all that Christmas Telly. Have a wonderful Christmas. GG
I was all done and dusted by 1 December š Have a great Christmas, I look forward to reading all about it š
Guilty… very guilty! The fact that my list keeps on increasing adds to my owes. Have a wonderful Christmas with family and friends… 16 is a big number but a lovely one:)
Mmmm that looks and sounds delicious Sally, I just fancy that with a coffee for my breakfast! I have a hugely intimidating pile of presents to wrap… i was very organised with my shopping, but always leave the wrapping to the last minute and it turns into a bit of a marathon! There just always seems to be so much going on, it’s hard to fit everything in. Have a great Christmas! xxx
This looks like a lovely festive loaf – great to have with a cup of tea! š And no, I definitely don’t have all my shopping done in November – in fact I still have a few things left to get!!
This sounds right up my street as it is not too sweet but is obviously Christmassy and special. I am not too bad with wrapping as I tend to tackle it before anyone starts snooping around. So, it is out of necessity from nosey parkers! Enjoy your Christmas lovely Sally xxx
What an interesting combination! It looks delicious!! My mum is the hardest person to buy for- especially as her birthday is two days after Christmas! I usually bake a cake or goodies to wrap up š
this looks wonderful – wholesome but so seasonal. Like you I start early with good intentions but the wrapping is always last minute
I love the jewelled cranberries in it. I could do with a slice of this whilst I wrap gifts this afternoon! Happy Christmas Sally xx
A perfect dish for the holidays…yayyy
Thank u!
I’m afraid I was all sorted in November. š The loaf looks like a great breakfast option.