PREPARATION: 45 minutes plus baking and cooling times.

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
5 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. Dust the pan with flour and tap
out the excess.
2. In a medium bowl, using a wire whisk, stir together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
3. Melt the white chocolate according to the directions in the Chocolate
Key. Set aside to cool.
4. In a 4 1/2-quart bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium speed for 2 minutes until creamy. While continuing to beat the butter, gradually add the sugar 1 teaspoon at
a time until completely incorporated into the butter. Beat in the eggs, one
at a time. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the side of the bowl and
beat the mixture for 1 minute more. At low speed, beat the buttermilk
into the batter. At this point the batter will look curdled. Add the melted
white chocolate, orange juice, zest, and vanilla to the batter and mix just
until blended.
5. At low speed, add the dry ingredients to the batter one-third at a time
and mix until blended. Stir in the chopped dried cranberries.
6. Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 70 to 75
minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes
out clean. Cool the bread in the pan set on a wire rack for 15 minutes.
Remove the bread from the pan and cool it completely on a wire rack.

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