Mini Cherry Loaves for gifting

December is finally here, and it hasn't come quietly! Full on snow storms, closed airports, no trains, dangerous roads and never ending complaints...I'M NOT complaining but, then again, I have no where to go at the moment...the perfect situation!! I've got about a milllion of dozens of cookies and cakes to make for Christmas gifts and, of course, to eat!!! So, Decemeber 1st means it is finally time to get baking!!!

I've been planning my gifites for a while now and trying to figure out when it was OK to start baking...like how long can the cookies be kept in tins before they start to go stale, which cakes can be frozen, what has to be done last minute (like the panettones)...lots of thought and planning!!

I don't know about you, but when I was growing up my mom used to make tons and tons of Christmas goodies.  There were tins and tins stacked up, totally off limits...well "technically" off limits.  Most of the treats my mom made were Christmas time favourites...for the most part only made at Christmas...which, I think made them extra special.  This year I am making treats that remind me of Christmas with my family in Canada, and also a few new treats, which I hope will become part of my own "Christmas repertoire".

Yesterday I started my baking extravaganza with my Grandma Kay's Cherry Loaf recipe.  Just mixing up this pound cake with glacee cherries reminds me of Christmas Day at Grandma Kay's apartment...I've divided up the mixture into 8 mini loaves...perfect for Christmas gifting!!

Grandma Kay's Cherry Loaf

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
4 eggs
2 cups flour, sifted
1 cup glacee cherries, cut in half

Pre-Heat Oven to 180C

Cream together butter and sugar in a large bowl, until smooth
Add eggs one at a time, alternating with some flour
When combined, spoon into greased and lined loaf tin (or tins)

Bake for 1 hour, or until tester comes out clean

**I used mini loaf tins, and baked for about 20-25 mins**