Yield: 10 slices

Cranberry Orange Loaf

cranberry orange loaf

A beautiful and delicious quickbread that is moist, buttery, tender, and studded with plump cranberries.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • BREAD
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 2 Tbsp fresh-squeezed orange juice
  • Zest from one orange
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 1 Tbsp flour for coating cranberries
  • GLAZE
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 Tbsp orange juice, fresh squeezed is best
  • Zest from one orange
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 Tbsp finely chopped cranberries for garnish, optional

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Grease a 9" by 5" loaf pan well.
  3. Mix powdered sugar, orange juice, and vanilla in a small pitcher or bowl until well-blended, then stir in the zest and set aside while the bread bakes.
  4. Toss the cranberries with flour, shake off excess flour, and set aside. If using fresh, rinse the berries, shake off excess water and toss in flour. This step helps keep them suspended in the batter.
  5. Beat the sugar, milk, oil, eggs, vanilla, orange juice, and zest together.
  6. Beat the salt and baking powder into the wet mixture to be sure they are well incorporated.
  7. Gradually add flour and stir until just combined and no streaks of flour show.
  8. Gently fold the cranberries into the batter.
  9. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake at 350 for about 55 minutes or until golden brown. A cake tester or toothpick inserted near the center should come out clean.
  10. Allow the loaf to cool for at least ten minutes, then remove it from the pan and allow it to cool completely before adding the glaze.
  11. Allow the glaze to harden completely before slicing the bread.