Easy Cranberry Orange Bread with Glaze
40aprons.com/cranberry-orange-bread/This cranberry orange quick bread is bursting with tart cranberries and bright citrus flavor, topped with a sweet orange glaze that takes it over the top. This moist, tender bread is perfect for holiday entertaining or wrapping up as a delicious homemade gift!
Recipe Makes (Approximate): slices
Equipment
- 9x5-inch loaf pan
- parchment paper
- stand mixer or electric hand mixer
- medium mixing bowl
- large mixing bowl
- whisk
- rubber spatula
Ingredients
For the Bread
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1¼ cups sugar
- 3 large eggs (room temperature)
- ¾ cup fresh orange juice
- 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (for coating cranberries)
For the Orange Glaze
- 1 ½ to 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
Instructions
Make the Bread
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with baking spray and line with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the sides.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 2½ cups all-purpose flour, 1½ teaspoons baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer bowl with paddle attachment, beat ¾ cup room temperature unsalted butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Gradually beat in 1¼ cups sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 additional minutes. Scrape down bowl as needed.
- Beat in 1 tablespoon grated orange zest and ¾ cup fresh orange juice until combined.
- Add 3 room temperature eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition before adding the next.
- With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in two additions, mixing just until no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix.
- In a small bowl, toss 2 cups fresh cranberries with 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour until coated. Gently fold floured cranberries into batter.
- Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for 65-70 minutes, loosely covering with aluminum foil around the 35-minute mark. Bread is done when a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
- Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes, then lift out using parchment overhang and cool completely on rack, at least 1 hour.
Make the Glaze
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 1½ to 2 cups powdered sugar, 3 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream or milk, and 1 teaspoon orange zest until smooth and desired consistency is reached.
- Drizzle glaze over completely cooled bread. Let set for 10 minutes before slicing.
Recipe Notes
Coating Cranberries: Tossing cranberries in flour before folding into batter prevents them from sinking to the bottom during baking.
Room Temperature Ingredients: Eggs and butter should be at room temperature for best results. Set out 30 minutes before baking.
Prevent Over-Browning: Loosely tent bread with aluminum foil around the 35-minute mark to prevent top from getting too dark before center is fully baked.
Glaze Consistency: Start with less liquid in glaze and add more as needed. You want it thick enough to cling but thin enough to drizzle smoothly.
Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Make it Into Muffins: Fill muffin cups ¾ full and bake at 350°F for 18-22 minutes. Makes about 12 muffins.
Freezing: Wrap cooled, un-glazed bread tightly in plastic wrap then aluminum foil. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature and glaze before serving.
Frozen Cranberries: Can be used without thawing. Toss frozen cranberries in flour just like fresh ones.
Nutrition Information (Approximate)
Calories: 362calProtein: 4gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 71mgSodium: 265mgPotassium: 93mgTotal Carbs: 55gFiber: 1gSugar: 33gNet Carbs: 54gVitamin A: 456IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 47mgIron: 2mg
https://40aprons.com/cranberry-orange-bread/