I’ve been waiting ever since last Christmas to give you this mouth-watering Bishop’s bread family recipe which I served along with my fabulous stress-free turkey this Thanksgiving.
And just in case you think this Bishop’s bread is your great-grandmother’s typical heavy fruitcake, think again!
You would be wrong!
There is a distinction between my chocolate cranberry Bishop’s bread and the kind of fruit cake that people make jokes about and pass onto relatives year after year.
But, give me a chance to explain.
My mother wrote my recipe out as a twist on an old European recipe back in 1974 or ’75 just after we were married.
She would make it for company and get rave reviews, but more often (because my Dad was Dutch and loved the old-style kind) she would serve one of those eternal heavy fruitcakes which I detest.
I’ve been known to take a bite of someone’s prized fruitcake, to honor them, thinking that maybe my taste buds have changed or that I’ve grown up somehow.
But no. I never have liked it and never will.
I honestly can’t stand the usual dyed citrus and maraschino cherries. So when I pulled Mom’s recipe for Bishop’s Bread out, I paused for a moment – suspicious – until remembered it wasn’t any old fruitcake.
No, not at all.
I guess this does bear some likeness to the basic fruitcake – heavy like a pound cake.
Nuggets of goodness stuck together in a bread.
But, instead of copious amounts of dried fruit (lemon, lime, orange, red and green candied cherries, etc.) there is nothing but chocolate chips, walnuts, cranberries (or tart cherries) for a occasional burst of tart, and dates.
You know how some foods are just better after several days of the flavors melding? Well, this sweet dessert bread is one of those. It is scrumptious especially served warm so the chocolate is all melted!
Festive Chocolate Cranberry Bishop’s Bread
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups King Arthur’s whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3 eggs
2/3 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips (or chunks)
1 cup sugar (I used 3/4 cup honey)
2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans
1 1/2 cups chopped dates
1 cup chopped cherries (I subbed unsweetened fresh cranberries halved- add only a hint of tart)
There is NO oil in this recipe!
Directions:
Mix together flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir cut-up fruit and chopped nuts into flour mixture to coat. Incorporate sweetener and eggs.
Before you go further, line 10x5x3 loaf pan or a 7 1/2 – 8″ round casserole dish with parchment or wax paper and dot with butter or solid coconut oil so it will come out clean.
Now this is where it gets fun:
Mix as much as you can with a heavy spoon; at one point, it will become pretty hard to stir. Taking the mass into your hands, squish and knead just enough to fully blend.
You will be able to form a ball and drop it into your parchment-lined baking pan. Cut tall edges off parchment (so they don’t smoke) and bake 65-70 minutes at 350 degree.
My Variation From Normal: I make the whole thing a few days or even weeks before Thanksgiving before food prep gets heavy but do NOT bake it. I simply wrap it up and stick it in the fridge to blend flavors.
Then when we have spontaneous friends knock on our door, I have this pretty bread to serve hot right out of the oven. It takes a bit of work off my shoulders, and it also makes the whole house smell amazing. Either way, bake it immediately or later.
Non-Alcoholic Rum Version: I have read this cake can be made 3 to 4 weeks before Christmas and put in a covered cake tin with an ounce of bourbon or rum poured over the cake itself. The alcohol will evaporate during this time and flavor your cake. It will keep well for several weeks in a cool spot or refrigerated.
A Jeani Jessen of Ladson wrote about a recipe 
that her mother found in a ladies magazine at Christmastime in 1939. “Our family has made it yearly ever since. It’s wonderful for folks who don’t like fruitcake – but love chocolate! Our friends start requesting it about Thanksgiving.”
Jeani says the recipe originally called for chopped chocolate rather than chips.
That got me wondering when chocolate chips were first sold. It turns out that the Nestle Co. first produced them in 1939 – the very year Jeani’s mother found the recipe in the magazine.
When researching origins, I found one reference to Bishop’s bread being made in medieval times for the local Bishop.
Nuts and dried fruits were scarce, so it would be a fit ‘treasure’ for the Bishop.
Melissa Bowen, a research librarian at the culinary university Johnson & Wales, did some digging in the school’s vast resources and found that there is a reference to a traditional Slovakian Christmas cake – a loaf bread – called Bishop’s Bread or Biskupsky Chlebicek. It has fruit, nuts and – surprise – sometimes chocolate.
She also found a website that mentions a story about the bread much like the Bishop’s Bread served to circuit-riding preachers in the days of early America. Those stories shed a little light on the name, but there still seems to be some confusion about whether the bread/cake contains chocolate.
Once we get settled down after Thanksgiving, we will be making triple the recipe as one of our Christmas traditions.
Yes, it is bread-shaped, keeps refrigerated for weeks like fruitcake, but it for sure isn’t fruitcake. I promise!
You, too, will became a Bishop’s Bread convert from the first taste, especially if you are a chocolate lover.
Bon appétit!
“Go, eat your bread with joy…” ~Ecclesiastes 9: 7
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Thanks for reading!
Charlotte Moore says
Now this is a new recipe for sure. Never heard of it. Looks yummy!!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING to you and yours!!
GOD BLESS!!
Doris Davies says
You mention coconut oil in the directions but I see no oil in the ingredients…:)
Jacqueline says
Oh, dear! Doris, would you be my editor? That’s what happens when you are taking care of grandpa in his home almost 3 hours away and trying to serve a full-blown Thanksgiving meal there in the car for a big family ;-/
I don’t add oil, though one could add 1/4 cup. It is best without.
So sorry, y’all! Thanks for your patience!! Have a blessed Thanksgiving!
Allison says
I see you mention coconut oil in the directions but I don’t see it listed in the ingredients. How much did you use? Looks great, I’d love to make this!!
Jacqueline says
Allison, same thing as I wrote to Jeanette. I don’t use coconut oil for this recipe. Blessings!
Janette says
Hi. Can you please tell me how much coconut oil is in this recipe. It is listed in the directions but not the ingredients and I am trying to make this today. Did you mean chocolate chips instead of coconut oil as that isn’t mentioned when to add those? Thanks for your help!
Jacqueline says
Janette,
I am just seeing this! Oops – my mistake! I don’t use any oil…what was I thinking? I’m so sorry if it has caused confusion. You can use coconut oil, but I deleted it b/c it wasn’t necessary and added to the overall cost of the bread. Hope you LOVE it, too!
Jedidja says
Looks delicious! Mjammie. I want to make it but without the berries. Cranberries are so expensive here in Nederlands. I think I’ll to use colored candied peel. In bright colors green, yellow or red.
XXX
Jacqueline says
Jedidja, I can’t wait to bake this!! I like your idea, too!!
Have a blessed joyful Thanksgiving!
Christina says
What is the longest you have kept the loaf in the fridge before baking? I’m gathering everything up for this, and we are hoping to have a Christmas ladies tea for the women in our family, so this would be just perfect the kids and I to make before hand. I’m really looking forward to trying it!
Jacqueline says
Hi, Christina 🙂
I have kept it for 3 weeks twice. It was a beautiful presentation. Do keep and eye on it after the first 60 minutes and test it with a toothpick for done-ness. I hope it is fun for the children and that the tea is a lovely success! If you are unsure about the 3 week length of time, just make it sometime a week before. Have fun!
Blessings, peace, and grace to you 🙂
Doris Davies says
Thank you for the information on the oil ~ understand perfectly how that can happen, cared for my mother for 4 years with Alzheimer’s and things do ‘happen’. 🙂
Molly says
oh, my, that looks good!
mollyxxx
Ashley says
Looks yummy, and it is very pretty! Featured you on Mom’s Library this week!
Jacqueline says
Thank you, Ashley!! That makes my day 🙂
Blessings to you and your sweet family!
Nancy W says
This bread looks delicious and a perfect addition to your Christmas table! Thanks for sharing on the HomeAcre Hop. Hope to see you again tomorrow! – Nancy
The Home Acre Hop
Judy says
I believe this recipe should be baking soda not baking powder as listed in the required ingredients. Also I used cherry/cranberry pie filling with a cup and a half of fresh cranberries when I doubled the recipe
Jacqueline says
Hi, Judy! I think you can do either. Most of the recipes I’ve looked at, though, recommend baking powder. Here is one of them: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/christmas-bishop-s-bread
Thanks! I know you’ll love it!
Sue R. says
This sounds good! I make a fruit/nut “bread” at Christmas time also. I’m going give you the recipe–even though you already like yours–but you might be interested in trying it sometime. It is really good!
Mix:
2 c cut up, dried apricots
1 c dried pineapple bits (I just cut up the dried rings)
1 c dried cranberries
4 1/2 c raw slightly chopped nuts (mixture of walnuts, almonds, pecans, cashews…)
Mix:
3/4 c flour
3/4 c sugar (can use less sugar)
1 tsp baking powder
Then mix with fruit/nut mixture
Beat together:
3 eggs/ 1 tsp vanilla
Mix egg mixture with fruit/nuts/flour until well-coated.
Grease well and line with wax paper–
Bread pans OR
Muffin or mini-muffin tins (don’t have to use wax paper)
Press firmly into pans so it holds together.
Bake 300 for 1 1/2 hours if using large bread pans
35-50 minutes for other sizes or until golden brown. Don’t overbake
That’s the original recipe.
I’ve used some dates/raisins in place of some dried fruit–though usually use at least some of the pineapple/apricots/cranberries combination.
Jacqueline says
Wow! Sue, that makes my mouth water with anticipation! I love the holidays and they aren’t the same without special breads like this! It kind of reminds me of a heavy cake I had as a child in Holland, and it was a favorite of my father. Thank you for taking the time to share it with readers 😀
Blessings! J