Chocolate Cranberry Pecan Loaf

This sinfully delicious and decadent Chocolate Cranberry Pecan Loaf recipe is going to be your favorite family pleaser guaranteed to put a smile on any chocolate lover’s face combining a list of homemade ingredients such as cocoa powder, dark chocolate morsels cranberries and pecans this winter. So grab a cup of your favorite hot beverage such as Hot Chocolate or Coffee and enjoy your family for a moment sharing fond memories by the fireside this winter and enjoy.

This time of year I love spending time with loved ones laughing  chatting over hot coffee and delicious treats, reminiscing about good times and funny memories about the Holidays and good times spent in the previous years Holiday we spent enjoying our family times; these memories are priceless to me and my loved ones. It’s the time of year all is forgiven — a time to clear a new path for the start of the New Year and family dreams to begin once again.

When I eat this delicious Chocolate Cranberry Pecan Loaf,  I silently thank Christopher Columbus for encountering the cacao bean on his fourth mission to the Americas on August 15, 1502, when he and his crew seized a large native canoe that contained cocoa beans. Christopher Columbus noticed when one of the beans would fall… the ship’s crew would act as if gold had fallen and quickly pick up the cocoa bean immediately.  Can you imagine?

Below you will find my Chocolate Cranberry Pecan Loaf recipe with a list of easily located ingredients and simple to follow instructions to start making your own family memories by the fire with your own sinfully  delicious and decadent  Chocolate Cranberry Pecan Loaf.

Chocolate Cranberry Pecan Loaf

• 2 and 1/4 of cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups of granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 and 1/2 of teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 of teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup of whole milk
• 1/2 cup of sour cream
• 1 cup of olive oil
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate morsels
• 1 cup of dried cranberries
• 1 cup of chopped pecans
• butter, to grease pans
• extra unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting pans

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. In a large mixing bowl combine 2 and 1/4 cups of flour, 2 cups of sugar, 3/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 and 1/2 of teaspoons baking powder, and kosher salt.  Beat in the 1 cup of whole milk, 1/2 cup of sour cream, 1 cup of olive oil, 3 beaten eggs, and vanilla at medium-low speed with an electric mixer until combined. Lightly beat in the 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate morsels, 1 cup of dried cranberries and 1 cup of chopped pecans.
3. Butter and dust with cocoa powder two 9 by 5-inch loaf pans. Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake until a tester or toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. If desired Shield the bread with aluminum foil to prevent excess browning.
4. Let cool in the baking pans for about 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Remove the bread from the baking pans and cool on a bakers rack.

Chocolate Ganache topping

• 1 cup of semi-sweet morsels
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

Directions for melting chocolate

Fill double boiler bottom with water, add semi-sweet chocolate to a double boiler. If you do not have a double boiler, you can easily place a light, glass bowl set over a pot of lightly steaming water. The steam will slowly melt the semi-sweet chocolate.Try not to place the bottom of the bowl (containing the semi-sweet chocolate) in contact with the steaming or boiling water. Contact with the water will cause the bowl to grow too warm, burning the chocolate instead of melting it.

Directions for topping Chocolate loaf

Using a large metal spoon drizzle chocolate over loaf, sprinkle chopped pecans and dried cranberries over loaf, add a touch more chocolate —touch up with a few more pecans and cranberries if desired.

© Heidy L. McCallum and The McCallum’s Shamrock Patch, 2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material or photos without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner are strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Heidy L. McCallum and The McCallum’s Shamrock Patch with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. You may not copy and paste recipes to share on Social Platforms.