Cranberry Orange Loaf with Orange Citrus Drizzle is the perfect balance of sweet and tart — a soft, moist loaf bursting with tangy cranberries and the bright flavor of fresh orange zest. Topped with a light citrus glaze, this quick bread makes a beautiful centerpiece for brunch, tea time, or even a holiday gift. The aroma alone will make your kitchen feel cozy and festive, regardless of the time of year.
bn.,/If you love this flavor combination, you’ll also enjoy my Cranberry Orange Scones or try my Lemon Poppy Seed Scones for another bright citrus twist. Serve your loaf with a warm cup of Earl Grey Tea or a soothing Hibiscus Green Tea Spritzer to complete your afternoon treat.
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What You will love about this Cranberry Orange Loaf
This tangy-sweet bread has the perfect combination of cranberries and orange flavors. The bread itself is not too sweet. The orange drizzle glaze gives it its sweetness. You can choose to omit the glaze if you prefer.
Best Ways to Eat this Recipe
You can top this bread with cream cheese or flavored butter. You can even add some orange curd if you like. Try adding some walnuts to the recipe to give it some crunch.
This recipe can be enjoyed during the holiday Fall and Winter seasons, but you can stock up on Fresh Cranberries and freeze the bags, and enjoy this recipe all year long. This Cranberry Loaf would be festive served at your Holiday Christmas Tea.
Ingredients
Fresh Cranberries: This recipe uses fresh cranberries. If you want to use dried cranberries, the overall flavor will be sweeter.
Butter: I generally use unsalted butter in all my recipes. That way I can taste the batter and decide how much salt it needs.
Orange Juice: Zest the orange first, and then use the juice from the orange. You can also use fresh orange juice if you prefer.
Vanilla Extract: I use homemade Vanilla Extract in all my baking. You can also use store-bought.
How to Make this Cranberry Orange Loaf
- In a bowl, cream together the butter and the sugar for about 3-5 minutes.
- Add the egg and mix it together.
- Add the vanilla and orange zest, mix, and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, soda, and salt.
- Add the flour mixture and the orange juice to the butter/sugar mix by alternating the flour with the juice to the sugar mix. Mix thoroughly. Fold in cranberries gently
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake 1 hour
- Add optional glaze
Frequently Asked Questions for Cranberry Orange Loaf
It probably depends on where you live. Cranberry season is from September through January. You can usually find them in the freezer section. You can always buy a few extra bags and keep them frozen.
Yes, you can add walnuts or sliced almonds to this recipe.
Wrap the loaf in Saran Wrap and then place it inside a large ziplock bag. You can store in the refrigerator for up to a week and in the freezer for 3 months.
You can use dried cranberries if you can’t find fresh or frozen ones. They are a little sweeter. It is best to soak them for 20-30 minutes prior to baking in the orange juice to soften them up.
Yes, you can make it without the drizzle and add the orange zest inside the loaf.
Substitutions & Notes
- You can use dried cranberries if you can’t find fresh ones in season.
- Buy extra cranberries when in season and keep them in the freezer.
- You can add walnuts to your batter, or toast them and sprinkle them into the drizzle on top.
- You can freeze the wrapped loaf for up to two months.
- Do not overmix your batter. Make sure all ingredients are combined well before mixing to prevent a tough dough.
Related Recipes
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Cranberry Orange Loaf Recipe
Cranberry Orange Loaf with Orange Glaze
Ingredients
- 1/4 Cup Butter Unsalted
- 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 Egg Large
- 1 Tablespoon Orange Zest From Large Orange
- 2 Cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder Use fresh
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda Use fresh
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup orange juice or juice from orange
- 1 1/2 Cups Fresh Whole Cranberries
Glaze
- 1/2 Cup Confectioners Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Orange Juice
- 1/4 Tablespoon Orange zest
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- Line a 9" X 5" loaf pan with parchment paper and spray with baking spray.
- In a bowl cream together the sugar and butter until consistancy is smooth. Add Egg and continue to mix.
- Add the vanilla extract and orange zest and mix and set aside.
- In a seperate bowl, whisk together flour, soda, powder and salt.
- Now alternate adding the flour mix to the sugar with butter mix with the orange juice. Mix together until smooth.
- Fold in the cranberries gently.
- Pour your mix into your loaf pan
- Bake for 55 – 60 minutes. Check with a toothpick to see if it comes out clean. Let Cool.
Glaze
- Mix together the confectioners sugar and orange juice.
- Add the orange zest.
- When loaf is cooled. Drizzle the glaze on with a spoon or a piping bag.
- Let the loaf cool on the counter or in the refrigerator at least 1 hour before slicing.
