Cranberry Orange Bread with Zesty Glaze
A delightful quick bread featuring the bright flavors of cranberry and orange, finished with a zesty glaze. Perfect for a cozy morning treat or a homemade gift.
Equipment
- Loaf pan standard 9x5 inch
- Medium bowl
- Small bowl
- Large bowl
- Wire rack
- Wooden skewer or toothpick
- Oven thermometer optional, for accuracy
Ingredients
Bread Ingredients
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour The foundation of our lovely bread.
- 1 tsp baking powder This helps our bread get that perfect, fluffy rise.
- 0.25 tsp salt Just a pinch to balance out all the sweetness.
- 0.25 cup milk room temperature, Make sure it's not too cold, it mixes in better!
- 1 large orange zest divided, This is where all that wonderful citrusy magic comes from. We'll use some in the batter and some for the glaze!
- 0.25 cup orange juice freshly squeezed, Fresh is always best for that vibrant flavor.
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter softened, Softened butter creams up so much better than cold.
- 0.75 cup granulated sugar For that perfect touch of sweetness.
- 2 large eggs room temperature, Just like the milk, room temperature eggs incorporate more smoothly.
- 1.5 cups fresh cranberries rinsed and patted dry, These little ruby gems are the star of the show! Make sure they're nice and dry.
- 0.5 Tbsp all-purpose flour A little trick to help the cranberries stay evenly distributed in the batter.
Orange Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar For a smooth, sweet coating.
- 1.5 Tbsp orange juice freshly squeezed, We might need a touch more to get the perfect drizzling consistency.
- 1 tsp orange zest reserved, The rest of that beautiful orange zest we zested earlier!
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a standard 9x5 inch loaf pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- In a small bowl, combine milk, about half of the orange zest (approx. 1 ½ tsp), and ¼ cup orange juice. Set aside.1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- In a large bowl, cream together softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each.1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk and juice mixture. Start and end with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined; do not overmix.1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- In a small bowl, toss fresh cranberries with ½ Tbsp flour. Gently fold floured cranberries into the batter.1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread evenly.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- While bread cools, whisk together powdered sugar, 1 ½ Tbsp orange juice, and reserved orange zest for the glaze. Add more orange juice by the teaspoon if needed for desired consistency.1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- Once bread is completely cool, drizzle glaze over the top. Let set, then slice and enjoy.
Notes
Room temperature ingredients are crucial for a smooth batter and tender loaf. Do not overmix the batter. Tossing cranberries in flour helps prevent them from sinking. Ensure your oven is fully preheated.