How to Make Bread Gifts

Gift cranberry orange walnut bread to friends and family.

If you're a baker, put your culinary skills to work when it comes to gift-giving. In an afternoon, it's possible to put together bread gifts for friends, coworkers and neighbors. While a loaf of freshly baked cranberry orange walnut bread is enough by itself, add in a few more items such as coffee, tea, jams or jellies to turn your loaf into a breakfast bread gift. Does this Spark an idea?

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2-1/2 cups flour
3 tbsp. plus 1/2 tsp. baking powder
Medium bowl
2/3 cup butter
1-1/3 cups sugar
Electric mixer
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup orange juice
Large bowl
2 tbsp. grated orange rind
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup walnut pieces
2 loaf pans
Plastic wrap
Scotch tape
Basket
Napkin
Card
Pen
Excelsior or other package filling
Jars of marmalade or other jam or preserves
Gourmet coffee and teas
Cellophane
Scissors
Curling ribbon

Instructions

Bake the Bread
- 1
  
  Sift the flour with the baking powder into a bowl.
- 2
  
  Cream the butter with the sugar. Add the eggs one at a time and beat for 15 or 20 seconds. Add the milk and orange juice. Add the dry ingredients 1 cup at a time to the butter mixture. Combine so the ingredients are well mixed. If there are a few lumps, it's fine.
- 3
  
  Add the cranberries and nuts to the batter. Pour the batter into loaf pans. Bake in a preheated 350-degree-F oven for 60 minutes. Remove from the pans when the loaf pulls away from the sides of the pan. The loaf will still be very warm. Let cool completely.
- 4
  
  Wrap the bread in kitchen plastic wrap and then in a cellophane bag. Tape the plastic wrap closed. Tie a ribbon around the loaf with a card that says it's cranberry orange nut bread.
Packaging
- 5
  
  Place the napkin in the basket so it comes up and drapes over the sides. Fill the basket with shredded excelsior on top of the napkin. Place the wrapped bread in the center of the basket.
- 6
  
  Select a jar of jam or jelly that complements the flavor of the bread. Orange marmalade goes well with cranberry orange walnut bread.
- 7
  
  Choose some gourmet coffees or teas in individual serving packets to round out the breakfast bread gift.
- 8
  
  Put the basket on a large square of cellophane. Bring the ends of the cellophane up and over the gift. Tie closed. Tie curly ribbon bows where you tied the cellophane shut to decorate the gift.