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Moist Cranberry Orange Bread with Zesty Orange Glaze

A close-up of a freshly baked cranberry orange bread loaf topped with white glaze and studded with bright red cranberries.
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Bake this incredibly moist Cranberry Orange Bread. It balances tart fresh cranberries with bright orange zest and finishes with a simple, zesty orange glaze. This easy quick bread is perfect for holiday breakfasts or brunch.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • Zest of 1 large orange
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
  • 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional add-in)
  • For the Glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar
  • For the Glaze: 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a standard 9×5 inch loaf pan.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set this dry mixture aside.
  3. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the orange zest.
  4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the sour cream (or yogurt), orange juice, and vanilla extract until just combined.
  5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until the batter is just combined. Do not overmix.
  6. Gently fold in the chopped cranberries and the optional walnuts, distributing them evenly throughout the batter.
  7. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly.
  8. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, loosely tent it with foil for the last 15 minutes of baking.
  9. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes before carefully turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  10. While the bread cools, prepare the glaze: Whisk together the powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of orange juice until smooth. Add more juice, a half teaspoon at a time, if the glaze is too thick.
  11. Once the bread is completely cool, drizzle the orange glaze evenly over the top. Allow the glaze to set before slicing and serving your homemade cranberry bread.

Notes

  • If you use frozen cranberries, do not thaw them first; toss them directly into the batter.
  • For a richer flavor, substitute the butter with 1/2 cup of vegetable oil for an even moister loaf.
  • If you want a Grand Marnier glaze, replace 1 tablespoon of the orange juice in the glaze with Grand Marnier liqueur.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookingbyjade.com/cranberry-orange-bread-recipe-moist-zesty-glaze/