Cheddar Cranberry Soda Bread

So, upon making Cheddar Cranberry Soda Bread, I discovered that Eric is not a fan of cranberries.  At all.  But he's very much a fan of cheese and carbs.  Which means that while this bread started as an actual loaf, it ended as a lump in which the cheesey goodness on top was slowly picked off and all the cranberries were left behind.  

Very appetizing. 

I, however, am a huge fan of cranberries because duh.  They call to me in the grocery store.  The first time I spot them every season my mind starts racing about new treats to make.  I generally lean towards sweet when baking with cranberry but when I saw this recipe on Joy The Baker, I knew I needed to make it immediately.  And I did just that.  

It could be quite dangerous how easy this bread is to pull together.  Aside from grating a bit of cheese, I had this in the oven in minutes.  And then just sliced and slathered in butter.  All the butter.  With an teeny sprinkling of salt.  Divine.  A thing of beauty.  

A lump of crustless bread though?  Not so much a thing of beauty.  But don't think I didn't slather that in some butter too.  Because duh.  

Here's the recipe!  

Cheddar Cranberry Soda Bread 

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 cup fresh cranberries
• 1 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 375.  Grease and flour an 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan and set aside.  

2.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar.  Add the cubed butter and cut in using a fork or pastry cutter.  Butter should be well incorporated into flour and flour should hold together slightly when pinched between your fingers.  Mix in the cheddar cheese (you can reserve about 2 tablespoons to top off the loaf before baking) and cranberries.  

3.  In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk and egg until well combined.  Add to dry ingredients.  Stir well, making sure no flour pockets remain.  

4.  Transfer batter into loaf pan and smooth into corners.  Top with reserved cheddar cheese.  Bake 55-60 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking.  If loaf begins to brown too quickly, cover with a foil tent to prevent burning.  Allow to cool ten minutes in pan before turning out on wire rack and cooling completely.  Slice and serve.

Enjoy!

Recipe barely adapted from Joy The Baker