This Orange Cranberry Bread is incredibly moist and so flavorful! It is absolutely packed with cranberries with a swirl of cranberry batter, whole cranberries and a zesty orange cranberry glaze! Whenever I make this I get wide eyes and rave reviews. This loaf cake is perfect for the winter and during holidays when cranberries are in season, but you can make it all year 'round with frozen cranberries too. If you love making loaf cakes, you should definitely try my wildly popular Starbucks Copycat Lemon Loaf, my Maple Apple Cinnamon Bread and my Double Chocolate Loaf Cake.
WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE:
- Ultra moist cranberry bread - this loaf/bread is SO moist. The cranberry swirl in the middle adds so much moistness.
- Packed with cranberries - between the cake batter, the swirl and the glaze, there are almost 2 ½ cups of cranberries packed into this one loaf. It is full of flavor.
- Orange loaf - the bright fresh citrus notes from orange zest pair with cranberry so well. You will love this flavor combination.
- Easy to make - all you need is a whisk, a bowl and a spatula to make this recipe. It is super simple.
- Orange cranberry glaze - the tangy sweet cranberry glaze is made with orange juice and cranberry compote. It is so beautiful with that natural bright pink color.
- Cranberry swirl - there is a thick swirls of cranberry compote batter through the loaf.
INGREDIENTS
- Unsalted butter - melted butter adds richness and tenderness and it carries the citrus flavor well. For this recipe you can use unsalted or salted butter. If you use salted butter, then reduce the added salt by half.
- Granulated sugar - simple white sugar will add the right amount of sweetness and also keep this loaf moist.
- Cranberries - you can use fresh or frozen cranberries for this recipe. I like to use frozen ones in this particular loaf because cranberries have quite a tough skin and freezing helps to soften them a bit.
- Eggs - Two large eggs will add nice structure and help with the moist spongy texture.
- Pure vanilla extract - vanilla will add rich undertones. I like this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.
- Milk - I recommend using whole milk or 2% milk for this recipe and it helps if it is at room temperature.
- All purpose flour - regular unbleached all-purpose flour works great for loaf recipes.
- Orange - you will need orange juice and zest for this recipe. Zest the whole orange first before juicing it to make the glaze.
- Sour cream - full fat sour cream adds richness and moistness to this loaf. If you don't have sour cream, you can replace it with full fat plain yogurt.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
- STEP 1). Make the cranberry compote. Combine cranberries, sugar and cinnamon in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until it simmers. Cover and let cook at a gentle boil for 5-10 minutes until the cranberries are very soft. Mash the berries very will with the back of a spoon or spatula so you have a smooth paste. If there are a few chunks or skins of berries, that is ok. Let cool completely.
- STEP 1). Make the batter. Infuse the sugar. Add sugar to a large bowl with the orange zest and rub it together until the sugar is fragrant and takes on a hint of orange.
- STEP 2). Mix in eggs. Add eggs and whisk until blended and smooth. This should dissolve the sugar a bit for an even more moist loaf.
- STEP 3). Add wet ingredients. Add melted butter, oil, milk, sour cream and vanilla and whisk until pale and creamy.
- STEP 4). Sift dry ingredients. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl and whisk to blend well.
- STEP 5). Add dry ingredients. Add sifted dry ingredients to the wet mixture and whisk it in gently. Once it is mostly combined but still with a few streaks of flour, switch to a spatula and gently fold in the remaining flour. Do not over-mix.
- STEP 6). Make the swirl batter. Scoop out about ¾ cup of batter and set it aside in a small bowl. Add the cranberry compote and mix it in evenly.
- STEP 7). Fold the cranberries into the remaining orange batter.
- STEP 8). BAKE. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out evenly. For a nice split down the center of the loaf, run your spatula down the middle lengthwise. Bake for 45-55 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Transfer pan to a rack to cool 10 minutes. Lift the cake out of the pan and let cool completely on the rack.
- STEP 9). Make the glaze. Combine icing sugar, cranberry compote, orange juice and salt in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth. It should be thick and opaque white, but still flowing. Resist adding too much more liquid because otherwise the icing will just run off the loaf. Pour the icing over the loaf, spread it out to drip over the edges a bit and then let it set for 15 minutes. Slice and serve!
EXPERT BAKING TIPS FOR ORANGE CRANBERRY LOAF
- Melted butter brings the flavor. I like to use at least some butter when making recipes that call for citrus since it adds rich undertones that carry the citrus flavors well so it is more rounded rather than sharp.
- Do not over-mix the batter. Once the flour is mostly combined (with a few light streaks), then the batter is ready for baking. Since loaf and brad batter is more lean with less sugar than cake batter, it is more likely to develop gluten and result in a tougher texture.
- Mix the cranberry swirl gently. Try not to over-mix the batter with the cranberry compote or it can end up being too dense in the middle. I recommend mashing up the compote after it cools so it is softer and easier to mix with the batter. It's ok if it is not completely blended and there are a few streaks of orange batter.
- Cover the top of the loaf with foil if it browns too quickly. You want to ensure that this loaf is baked all the way through since there are so many cranberries in it, so I usually place a sheet of foil loosely over the loaf (like a tent) after the first 30 minutes of baking if it is getting too dark on top.
RECIPE FAQ
I wouldn't recommend using all oil to make this recipe because the batter will be too loose and the cranberries will have a greater tendency to fall to the bottom.
Cranberry sauce is so easy to make at home! Just cook down cranberries with sugar and some spice or citrus zest if you like until soft. Then mash them down. You need a thick compote for this recipe to mix with the batter, but if you want to make a thin sauce for serving with your holiday meal, just add 1-2 tablespoons of orange juice.
Yes, frozen cranberries work fine. Since cranberries do not bleed that much (they have a thicker skin than blueberries), I like to let them thaw for just 5-10 minutes so they aren't so cold when I fold them into the batter. This helps the loaf cook more evenly because frozen berries really drop the temperature of the batter.
You certainly can freeze cranberry sauce. Freeze it in an ice cube tray or just spoon portions of it into a ziptop bag and freeze. I like to stir it into soups for some tanginess!
If you love making quick breads, check out these recipes!
Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Bread The BEST Moist Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Maple Apple Cinnamon Bread Double Chocolate Loaf Cake Starbucks Copycat Lemon Loaf DOUBLE CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI BREAD CLASSIC BANANA BREAD RECIPE MAPLE PECAN BANANA BREAD WITH DARK CHOCOLATE DOUBLE CHOCOLATE BANANA BREADGlazed Orange Cranberry Bread
Ingredients
Loaf Batter:
- 1 cup 200g granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon orange zest *zest the entire orange before juicing. You need the juice to make the glaze
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- ¼ cup 56g unsalted butter melted
- ¼ cup 60ml sunflower oil
- 1 teaspoon 5ml pure vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup 80ml milk, at room temperature
- ⅓ cup 80ml sour cream, at room temperature
- 1 ⅖ cups 235g all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup 100g fresh or frozen cranberries (do not thaw)
Cranberry Compote:
- 1 ½ cups 150g frozen cranberries, (do not thaw)
- ⅓ cup 65g granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Cranberry Glaze:
- ¾ cups 150g powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoon 30ml freshly squeezed orange juice
- 2 tablespoon 30ml Cranberry Compote
Instructions
- Make the compote. In a medium saucepan, stir together all compote ingredients. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then cook for 8-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the berries begin to break down. Use a fork or the back of a spoon to crush the berries so they break down faster and more evenly. Once thickened, remove from heat and let cool completely.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2 inch overhand along the long sides for easy removal.
- Make the orange loaf batter. Combine sugar and orange zest in a large bowl and rub them together until the sugar is fragrant and the orange oils coat the sugar crystals. Add the eggs and whisk until the sugar is dissolved a bit and smooth. Add melted butter, oil, vanilla, sour cream and milk and whisk to blend well.
- Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl.
- Add half of the flour mixture and start to fold it in gently. Mix in remaining flour until evenly combined. Do not over-mix. Transfer ¾ cup of batter to a small bowl and mix in ⅓ cup of cranberry compote.
- Add whole cranberries to the remaining batter and fold them in. Spread just over half of this batter into the base of the lined pan. Spoon the cranberry batter over top and spread it out. Spoon the remaining base batter over top and spread it out then run a knife around through it to swirl the two batters together.
- For a nice split down the center of the loaf, run your spatula down the middle lengthwise. Bake for 40-50 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Transfer pan to a rack to cool 10 minutes. Lift the cake out of the pan and let cool completely on the rack.
- Make the icing. combine icing sugar, orange juice and cranberry compote in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth. It should be thick and opaque, but still flowing. Pour the icing over the loaf, spread it out to drip over the edges a bit and then let it set until the icing dries out. Slice and serve!
CG
I wanted to add that my family gobbled up the few pieces I brought home and I will definitely make this again.
CG
I baked this for a meeting and it was a hit! Each component is perfection: the bright pink glaze that is gorgeous and citrusy; the compote (I added a little orange zest... and ate the leftovers on toast) adds so much cranberry flavor and is perfectly balanced (not too tart, not too sweet); the cake itself with whole cranberries is moist and orange scented. A true delight on a cold winter day!
christina.marsigliese
What a lovely review! Thank you so much CG.
KC
Firstly the flavor is so bold, tart and sweet and fragrant. Secondly it is SO moist. Everyone went back for seconds.