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Cranberry Orange Loaf

A delightful quick bread that perfectly balances tart cranberries with refreshing orange zest, offering a moist and tender texture—ideal for breakfast, snacks, or desserts.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American, Holiday
Calories: 180
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the loaf
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature preferably Organic Valley or Kerrygold
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar Baker's Corner or Domino recommended
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup whole milk, room temperature hormone-free if possible
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice juice from about 1-2 oranges
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest make it fresh for the best flavor
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour King Arthur Baking or Gold Medal works beautifully
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder Rumford is a reliable brand
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt Diamond Crystal for cooking
  • 1 1/2 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen, divided if using frozen, no need to thaw
For the glaze
  • 1 cup confectioners' sugar for glaze
  • 2-3 tablespoons orange juice for glaze

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy—about 3-4 minutes.
  3. Crack in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition until smooth.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, freshly squeezed orange juice, and orange zest.
  5. In another mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and kosher salt.
  6. Gradually add the flour mixture and milk mixture to the butter-sugar mixture in three additions, mixing until just combined.
  7. Fold in 1 cup of cranberries gently.
Baking
  1. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cranberries over the top, and bake for 50-55 minutes.
  2. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan before transferring to a wire rack.
Glazing
  1. For the glaze, whisk together the confectioners' sugar and orange juice until smooth. Drizzle it over the cooled loaf.

Notes

Ensure butter and eggs are at room temperature. Fresh cranberries should be checked for spoilage. Frozen cranberries can be used without thawing.