Description
This moist and flavorful Orange Cranberry Bread combines fresh cranberries with bright orange zest and a sweet orange glaze, making it a perfect treat for breakfast, brunch, or holiday gifting. The tender crumb and citrusy notes enhance the natural tartness of cranberries, resulting in a deliciously balanced quick bread.
Ingredients
For the bread:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- Zest of 1 large orange
- 3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup canola, vegetable, or avocado oil
- 2 large eggs, slightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup fresh cranberries, roughly chopped
For the orange glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8 ½ x 4 ½ inch loaf pan with cooking spray and set it aside.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, salt, and baking powder to ensure even distribution of leavening agents.
- Combine Sugar and Orange Zest: In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar and orange zest. Rub them together with your fingers until fragrant to release the oils from the zest. Then whisk this mixture into the dry ingredients.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, combine the buttermilk (at room temperature), oil, slightly beaten eggs, fresh orange juice, and vanilla extract. Whisk until well combined.
- Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures: Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined to avoid overmixing the batter, which can make the bread dense.
- Fold in Cranberries: Gently fold the roughly chopped fresh cranberries into the batter, distributing them evenly without breaking them down too much.
- Pour Batter and Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top. Bake for 70 to 75 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the loaf darkens too quickly, loosely cover the top with aluminum foil for the last 10 minutes of baking.
- Cool the Bread: Remove the bread from the oven and set it on a cooling rack for 20 minutes. Use a knife to loosen the sides, then carefully remove the loaf from the pan and let it cool completely on the wire rack.
- Prepare the Orange Glaze: While the bread cools, whisk together powdered sugar, fresh orange juice, and orange zest in a small bowl until the glaze is smooth and pourable.
- Glaze and Serve: Drizzle the orange glaze evenly over the cooled bread. Slice and serve as a delightful, citrus-infused treat.
Notes
- Using fresh cranberries adds a nice tart contrast, but you can substitute dried cranberries if fresh are unavailable; soak them in warm water for 10 minutes to plump before using.
- If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a substitute by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to 3/4 cup milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes.
- The glaze can be adjusted for thickness by adding more powdered sugar for thicker consistency or more orange juice for a thinner drizzle.
- Store the bread tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
- This bread also freezes well; wrap tightly and freeze for up to 2 months.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
