Cranberry Orange Bread
Cranberry Orange Bread made with flour, baking powder, milk, orange zest, orange juice, butter, sugar, eggs, fresh cranberries, and orange glaze.
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Servings: 8 people
Ingredients
Cranberry Bread
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ cup milk room temperature
- Zest of 1 large orange divided
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 ½ cups fresh cranberries rinsed and patted dry
- ½ tbsp all-purpose flour for coating the cranberries
Orange Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 ½ tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice or as needed to reach desired consistency
- 1 tsp orange zest reserved from the orange above
Instructions
Prepare the oven and loaf pan.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 6-cup loaf pan, approximately 8 ½ by 4 ½ inches, then dust the pan with flour. Tap out any excess flour.
Combine the dry ingredients.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, and ¼ tsp salt. Set aside.
Prepare the orange mixture.
- In a measuring cup, combine the room-temperature milk, orange zest, and freshly squeezed orange juice. Reserve 1 tsp orange zest for the glaze before adding the remaining zest to the milk mixture. Set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes, or until combined and slightly fluffy. The mixture may not appear completely smooth.
Add the eggs.
- Add the eggs, one at a time if preferred, and beat until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Add the dry and wet mixtures.
- Add the flour mixture in 2 additions, alternating with the orange milk mixture. Mix on medium-low speed after each addition just until incorporated. Avoid overmixing.
Prepare the cranberries.
- Toss the fresh cranberries with ½ tbsp all-purpose flour until lightly coated.
Fold in the cranberries.
- Gently fold the coated cranberries into the batter just until evenly distributed.
Transfer the batter to the pan.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
Bake the bread.
- Bake at 350°F for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool the loaf.
- Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges, then transfer the loaf to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
Prepare the orange glaze.
- In a separate bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, freshly squeezed orange juice, and reserved orange zest until smooth. Adjust the consistency by adding more orange juice to thin the glaze or more powdered sugar to thicken it.
Glaze the bread.
- Drizzle the orange glaze over the completely cooled loaf. Allow the glaze to set slightly before slicing and serving.
Notes
To make this recipe gluten-free, replace the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend designed for baking.
Use an additional ½ tbsp gluten-free flour blend to coat the cranberries before folding them into the batter.
Confirm that the baking powder, powdered sugar, granulated sugar, milk, butter, eggs, orange juice, orange zest, salt, and fresh cranberries are gluten-free.
Check that the powdered sugar does not contain gluten-based anti-caking agents or cross-contamination warnings.
Use clean mixing bowls, measuring cups, spatulas, loaf pan, cooling rack, and serving utensils to prevent cross-contamination.
If baking for someone with celiac disease, use certified gluten-free ingredients and prepare the recipe in a gluten-free-safe kitchen environment whenever possible.