Cranberry Sour Cream Pound Cake

Cranberries--one thing I love about fall.  Here is a recipe I am going to try once I can shut my AC off for more than a few days.

3/4 C. butter
3 eggs
2/3 C. dried cranberries, dried cherries, dried blueberries and/or currants
2 1/2 C. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/4 C. granulated sugar
1 tbsp. finely shredded orange or lemon peel
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 8oz. carton sour cream
Powdered sugar (optional)

Allow the butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.  Grease and lightly flour a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan, set aside.  In a small bowl, pour boiling water over dried cranberries, let stand for 10 minutes.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda, set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.  Gradually add the granulated sugar, 3 tbsp. at a time beating on medium speed about 6 minutes until very light and fluffy.  Add orange peel and vanilla.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well on low to medium speed after each addition.  Alternately add the flour mixture and sour cream to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined.  Stir in cranberries.  Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake in a 325 degree oven about 70 minutes or until a woode toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.  Cake will be high in the pan.  Cool in pan on wire reach for 10 minutes.  Remove from pan.  Cool completely on wire rack.

If you like, sprinkle powdered sugar over cake just before serving.