Preheat the oven to 350° F/175° C.

In the 2-quart pot, put the potato pieces in 1 inch of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook until fork tender, about 10 more minutes. Drain and allow the potato to cool to room temperature. Mash well.

Meanwhile, in the small bowl soak the cranberries in hot water until they are plump and soft. In the medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.

In the large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating and scraping down the sides between each. Beat in the vanilla and the mashed potato, then stir in the dry ingredients until evenly moist. Drain the cranberries and stir them in.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 50 to 60 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the bread to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the bread. Turn the bread out onto the wire rack and allow to cool completely before slicing.