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Orange cranberry bread is one of my favorite ways to bake with fresh cranberries. The tart berries pop against the sweet, tender crumb, and rubbing orange zest into the sugar gives the whole loaf a bright citrus flavor. Finish it with a drizzle of orange glaze, then slice it up for breakfast, an afternoon snack, or a holiday brunch.
Orange Zest Does the Heavy Lifting
More orange flavor: I’ve found that rubbing citrus zest into granulated sugar makes a noticeable difference in flavor. It releases the fragrant oils from the peel and distributes them through the batter, giving this loaf a brighter orange flavor.
Cranberries in every bite: Chopping the cranberries spreads their tart flavor throughout the loaf, so you get little pockets of cranberry in each slice.
A tender crumb: Buttermilk adds a subtle tang that complements the orange and cranberries, while helping keep the bread soft and tender.
For another take on this flavor combination, our basic muffin recipe includes a cranberry orange variation.
Ingredient Notes
Cranberries: Fresh or frozen cranberries work here. If using frozen berries, chop them while still frozen and fold them straight into the batter. If you have more cranberries to use, try our cranberry muffins with walnut streusel, too.
Orange zest: Zest the orange before squeezing it for juice. Use only the colored part of the peel; the white pith underneath can taste bitter.
Orange juice: You’ll need juice for both the bread and the glaze. Zest the orange first, then squeeze it for the freshest flavor.
Buttermilk: Full-fat or low-fat buttermilk will work. It adds a little tang that pairs well with the orange and cranberries.
Recipe Tips
Chop the cranberries: A food processor makes quick work of them. Use short pulses and stop when the berries are coarsely chopped; you don’t want a purée.
Don’t overmix: Fold the dry ingredients into the batter just until mostly combined. A few small streaks of flour will disappear when you fold in the cranberries.
Keep an eye on the crust: The loaf can brown before the center is fully baked. Check it after about 35 minutes and loosely tent it with foil if the top is getting too dark.
Cool before glazing: Let the loaf cool completely on a wire rack before adding the glaze. If the bread is warm, the glaze can melt and run off.
Freeze it without the glaze: The loaf keeps its neatest finish when you thaw it while wrapped, then add the fresh glaze just before serving.
Cranberry Orange Loaf
This orange cranberry loaf is just as welcome with a morning cup of coffee as it is on a holiday brunch table. Make a loaf to share, or tuck a few slices into the freezer for another day.
For another sweet loaf to serve with coffee, try our carrot cake loaf.
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Orange Cranberry Bread
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Ingredients
For the bread
- 1 cup granulated sugar, 200 grams
- 1 tablespoon orange zest, from 1 large orange
- ⅓ cup orange juice
- ⅔ cup buttermilk
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted, 85 grams
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, 240 grams
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups fresh cranberries, or frozen, coarsely chopped
For the glaze
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 4 teaspoons orange juice
Instructions
- Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9 × 5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper.
- Add the sugar and orange zest to a medium mixing bowl. Rub the zest into the sugar with your hands until the sugar is fragrant and slightly damp.
- Add the orange juice, buttermilk, melted butter, and egg to the orange sugar. Whisk until combined.
- Set a sifter or fine-mesh sieve over the bowl and sift the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda directly into the wet ingredients. Gently fold the batter with a spatula just until the flour is moistened. Do not overmix.
- Fold in the chopped cranberries until evenly distributed.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly into the corners.
- Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes. Without removing the bread from the oven, reduce the temperature to 350°F and continue baking for approximately 45 more minutes. After 35 minutes of total baking time, loosely tent the loaf with aluminum foil to prevent overbrowning. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack. Cool completely before adding the glaze.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and orange juice until smooth. If it is too thick to drizzle over the bread, add a bit more orange juice.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cooled loaf. Let the glaze set before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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