Cranberry Orange Bread Recipe
This Cranberry Orange Bread is a delightful quick bread that combines tart cranberries with fragrant orange zest for a perfect balance of sweet and tangy flavors. It’s moist, tender, and perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a cozy snack with tea or coffee.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf (10-12 slices) 1x
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1 tablespoon orange zest (from about 1 medium orange)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together the melted butter, buttermilk, eggs, orange zest, and vanilla extract until smooth and homogenous.
- Incorporate Wet and Dry Mixtures: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently fold together using a spatula just until combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the bread tender.
- Add Cranberries: Fold in the cranberries gently, distributing them evenly throughout the batter.
- Transfer Batter to Pan: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool: Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- Fresh or frozen cranberries can be used; if frozen, do not thaw before adding to the batter to prevent bleeding.
- To enhance orange flavor, consider adding a tablespoon of orange juice along with the zest.
- This bread keeps well for 2-3 days at room temperature stored in an airtight container and can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute buttermilk with almond milk mixed with a teaspoon of lemon juice, and use dairy-free butter.
- Adding a tablespoon of sugar on top before baking can create a lightly sweetened crust.
Keywords: cranberry orange bread, quick bread, holiday bread, citrus bread, cranberry bread
Find it online: https://recipeswithria.com/cranberry-orange-bread-recipe/
