Best Orange Cranberry Bread Recipe
This Best Orange Cranberry Bread is a moist, flavorful quick bread perfectly balanced with the tartness of fresh cranberries and the bright zest and juice of orange. It’s ideal for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon snack, featuring a sweet orange glaze that adds a decorative and delicious finish.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 65-75 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 1 (9x5-inch) loaf, about 10 slices 1x
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
For the Bread
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ½ cup canola oil (or other neutral tasting oil)
- ½ cup orange juice
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups fresh cranberries
For the Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 to 3 tablespoons orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan thoroughly to prevent sticking.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
- Combine sugar and orange zest: In a small bowl, mix the granulated sugar and orange zest with a spoon until the sugar takes on a light orange color to infuse citrus flavor.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, canola oil, orange juice, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Combine wet and dry: Add the flour mixture and the sugar-orange zest mixture to the wet ingredients and whisk gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the bread tender.
- Fold in cranberries: Add fresh cranberries and gently fold them into the batter using a wooden spoon or spatula until evenly distributed.
- Transfer and bake: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and place it in the oven. Bake for 65 to 75 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. If the top browns too quickly, loosely cover it with aluminum foil.
- Cool the bread: Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the glaze: While the bread cools, whisk the powdered sugar and 2 to 3 tablespoons orange juice in a medium bowl until smooth and creamy. Adjust orange juice to reach your desired consistency.
- Glaze and serve: Once the bread is completely cooled, drizzle the orange glaze evenly over the top. Slice and serve.
Notes
- Calories listed are approximate and based on one slice (1/10th of the loaf).
- This recipe yields one standard 9×5-inch loaf.
- To keep the bread moist, do not overmix the batter.
- If fresh cranberries are not available, frozen cranberries can be used but do not thaw before adding.
- Store the bread in an airtight container at room temperature or freeze for longer storage.
- For a more intense orange flavor, increase the orange zest to 2 tablespoons if desired.
Keywords: orange cranberry bread, quick bread, cranberry bread, orange zest bread, holiday bread, citrus bread
Find it online: https://kitchenwithkai.com/best-orange-cranberry-bread-recipe/
