Description
This Cranberry Orange Bread is a delightful, moist quick bread bursting with fresh cranberries and fragrant orange zest. Perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack, it features a tender crumb enhanced by a tangy orange glaze, balancing sweet and tart flavors beautifully.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
- 2/3 cup milk
- 1/3 cup orange juice
- 1/3 cup melted butter, cooled (or canola oil)
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cranberry Mixture:
- 2 cups cranberries (large ones halved)
- 1/2 tablespoon white sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon white flour
Glaze:
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- 3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 5×9 inch loaf pan or spray it with nonstick cooking spray to ensure easy release after baking.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, white sugar, baking powder, and salt until well mixed. Set aside.
- Combine wet ingredients: In a large measuring jug, mix the milk and orange juice and let sit for 5 minutes. This causes the milk to curdle slightly, mimicking buttermilk’s effect to tenderize the bread. Next, whisk in the melted cooled butter, egg, orange zest, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Make batter: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently fold together using a spatula or wooden spoon just until combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the bread tender. Toss the halved cranberries with 1/2 tablespoon flour and 1/2 tablespoon sugar to coat, then fold them into the batter evenly.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for 55-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (mostly clean). After about 40 minutes of baking, loosely cover the bread with aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning on top.
- Cool and glaze: Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring it to a cooling rack to cool completely. To prepare the glaze, whisk together 2 tablespoons orange juice and 3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar until smooth. Drizzle or spread the glaze over the cooled bread before serving.
Notes
- Coating cranberries with flour prevents them from sinking to the bottom of the bread during baking.
- Allowing milk and orange juice to curdle mimics the effect of buttermilk for lighter texture.
- Covering the bread with foil mid-bake keeps the crust from becoming too dark while the inside bakes through.
- The bread is best enjoyed the day it’s made but can be stored wrapped tightly for up to 2 days.
- For a dairy-free option, substitute non-dairy milk and oil instead of butter.
