Cranberry Orange Bread
Cranberry Orange Bread recipe Savor the delightful blend of tangy cranberries and citrus zest in our Cranberry Orange Bread, topped with a luscious orange glaze. Perfect for dessert or a festive brunch!
Ingredients
For the Bread:
- 2 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- 1 cup of granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon of freshly grated orange zest
- ½ cup of buttermilk
- ½ cup of canola oil or another neutral-tasting oil
- ½ cup of freshly squeezed orange juice
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups of fresh cranberries
For the Glaze:
- 1 cup of powdered sugar
- 2 to 3 tablespoons of orange juice
Instructions
To Prepare the Bread:
- Initial Preparation: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan thoroughly to ensure that the bread does not stick.
- Mixing Dry Ingredients: In a medium-sized bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk these ingredients together until they are well blended and set aside.
- Infusing Sugar with Orange Zest: In a smaller bowl, combine the granulated sugar with the orange zest. Mix these together with a spoon until the sugar is infused with the orange zest and has taken on a light orange hue. Set this aside as well.
- Combining Wet Ingredients: In a larger bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, canola oil, orange juice, eggs, and vanilla extract. Ensure these ingredients are mixed thoroughly.
- Incorporating Dry and Wet Mixtures: Gradually add the previously mixed dry ingredients and the orange zest-infused sugar to the wet mixture. Stir these together until just combined to avoid overmixing, which could affect the texture of the bread.
- Adding Cranberries: Fold in the fresh cranberries gently with a wooden spoon or spatula until they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Baking: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 65-75 minutes. To prevent excessive browning, cover the bread loosely with aluminum foil if it begins to brown too quickly. The bread is ready when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with very few crumbs.
- Cooling: After baking, remove the bread from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10-15 minutes. Then, transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
To Prepare the Glaze:
- Making the Glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and orange juice until smooth. Adjust the consistency of the glaze by adding more orange juice if necessary.
- Applying the Glaze: Once the bread has completely cooled, drizzle the glaze over the top. Allow the glaze to set before slicing and serving the bread.