Cranberry-Orange Tea Bread Muffins W/ Orange Cream Cheese Glaze

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 (12 ounce) package fresh cranberries
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup orange juice
• 24 aluminum foil, miniature baking cups
• vegetable oil cooking spray

Orange Cream Cheese Glaze

• 1 (3 ounce) package softened cream cheese

• 1 tablespoon orange juice
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar

Directions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. 2

   Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 8-10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring occasionally,.

3. 3

   Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

4. 4

   Pulse cranberries and sugar in a food processor 3-4 times or just until chopped.

5. 5

   Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs, beating until well blended. Gradually add flour mixture alternately with orange juice, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in cranberry mixture and pecans.

6. 6

   Place baking cups in miniature muffin pans; coat with cooking spray. Spoon batter into baking cups, filling completely.

7. 7

   Bake for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean. Remove from pans to a wire rack. Spoon Orange Cream Cheese Glaze over warm muffins.

8. 8

   Orange Cream Cheese Glaze: Beat one 3 oz. package of softened cream cheese at medium speed until creamy. Add 1 tablespoons orange juice and 1/4 tsp of vanilla; beat until smooth. Gradually add 1 1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar, beating until smooth.