Description
This Cranberry Orange Bread is a moist, flavorful quick bread bursting with fresh cranberries and bright citrus flavor. A simple orange glaze adds a touch of sweetness and makes it perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Bread:
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon orange zest (from about 1 large orange)
- 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature
- 1/2 cup canola oil (or other neutral-tasting oil, such as vegetable or grapeseed oil)
- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries (or frozen, do not thaw)
For the Glaze:
- 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
- 2–3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray or butter. You can also line the pan with parchment paper for easy removal, and then grease the parchment.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
- Combine Sugar and Orange Zest: In a separate small bowl, combine the granulated sugar and orange zest. Use your fingertips to rub the zest into the sugar until the sugar is fragrant and slightly orange-colored. This releases the oils from the zest and intensifies the orange flavor.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, canola oil (or other neutral oil), fresh orange juice, room-temperature eggs, and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Add the flour mixture and the orange zest/sugar mixture to the wet ingredients. Whisk until just combined. Do not overmix. A few lumps are okay.
- Fold in Cranberries: Gently fold in the fresh (or frozen, unthawed) cranberries until they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Transfer to Pan: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 65-75 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached (not wet batter). Check for doneness around 60 minutes, as oven temperatures can vary.
- Prevent Over-Browning (If Necessary): If the bread begins to brown too quickly on top, loosely tent it with a piece of aluminum foil for the remainder of the baking time.
- Cool: Let the bread cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the Glaze: While the bread is cooling, prepare the glaze. In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of fresh orange juice until smooth.
- Adjust Glaze Consistency: Add more orange juice, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the glaze reaches your desired consistency. It should be thick enough to drizzle but not too runny.
- Glaze and Serve: Once the bread is completely cool, drizzle the glaze evenly over the top. Slice and serve.
Notes
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Using room-temperature buttermilk and eggs helps the ingredients emulsify properly, resulting in a more tender and evenly textured bread.
- Orange Zest: Use fresh orange zest for the best flavor. Be sure to zest only the orange part of the peel, not the white pith, which is bitter.
- Cranberries: Fresh cranberries are recommended for their texture and flavor, but you can use frozen cranberries. Do not thaw frozen cranberries before adding them to the batter.
- Do Not Overmix: Overmixing the batter can develop the gluten in the flour, resulting in a tough bread. Mix just until the ingredients are combined.
- Baking Time: The baking time may vary depending on your oven. Start checking for doneness around 60 minutes.
- Storage: Store leftover bread, tightly wrapped, at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can also freeze the bread for longer storage.