A delightful marriage of bright, citrusy orange and tart, juicy cranberries make this bread a real treat.
It pops up a lot around the Christmas holidays – after all, that time of year is prime season for both citrus and cranberries. But, we recommend it year-round, because it’s so good! And you can typically find oranges year-round and cranberries in the frozen food section if fresh aren’t available.
So, what makes this bread so good? Balance. It’s not too sweet, nor is it too tart. The orange-cranberry combo and the citrus glaze all work together. Not one ingredient overpowers another. It’s moist and flavorful. It’s even pretty to look at.
The most time intensive part is zesting and juicing the oranges, but it’s not hard and it really doesn’t take that long.
The bread makes a wonderful breakfast or brunch offering, and it packages well for gift giving. It’s also great as a quick snack or dessert.
Try it with a cup of coffee or English breakfast tea. Or just grab a slice on the go – any way you try it, it’s sure to please!
For more breakfast breads, try our favorite vegan Banana Bread or our perfectly spiced Pumpkin Bread.
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Cranberry Orange Bread
Ingredients
Bread
- 2 cups all-purpose flour plus a little extra for dusting the cranberries
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- ¾ tsp. sea salt
- ¾ cup granulated sugar or cane sugar
- 1 tbsp. orange zest
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- ½ cup orange juice freshly squeezed
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1½ cups cranberries fresh or frozen
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar sifted
- 1-2 tbsp. orange juice freshly squeezed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Coat an 8×4-inch loaf pan with cooking spray (the kind that includes flour) and set aside.
- Add the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar to a large bowl and give it a stir with a whisk. Then add the orange zest, working it into the sugar mixture with your fingers. This helps distribute the oils from the zest more evenly and to release them into the sugar for the best flavor.
- In a glass measuring cup, whisk the wet ingredients together till will blended (vegetable oil, eggs, orange juice, milk, and vanilla). Pour into the dry ingredients and mix just until blended – do not overmix.
- Next, toss the cranberries with about a teaspoon of flour. (This will help keep them from sinking to the bottom of the bread.) Gently fold the cranberries into the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or till a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool completely in the pan.
- When the bread is nearly cooled, make the glaze by whisking a tablespoon of freshly squeezed orange juice with one cup of powdered sugar that has been sifted. If the glaze is too thick to pour, add more orange juice till you reach your desired consistency. (Another tablespoon usually does the trick, but you may find you need more or less.)
- Remove the cooled bread from the pan and pour the glaze over the top, evenly coating the bread and letting it drip down the sides. The glaze will firm up as it cools.
- Slice and serve, or store covered till you're ready to enjoy it (we keep it on a serving plate and cover it with plastic wrap).The bread keeps for about three days.
Notes
- Always spoon and level your flour when baking. Flour compacts easily, which can lead to too much being used. This method helps ensure the right amount is added to your batter.
- Freshly squeezed orange juice works best for this recipe, but store-bought works in a pinch.
- Don’t skip the orange zest! It gives the bread an amazing flavor. We like this zester from OXO.