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Best Easy Cranberry Orange Bread – Perfect Bakery Style

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This cranberry orange bread is a moist, tender quick bread with tart cranberries and bright citrus flavor, topped with a bakery-style orange glaze. It’s the perfect treat for holidays, brunch, or any cozy day.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • ½ cup (120ml) fresh orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons fresh orange zest
  • ½ cup (120ml) buttermilk
  • 1½ cups (170g) fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
  • 2–3 tablespoons fresh orange juice (for glaze)
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with butter or non-stick spray, then line with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the long sides.
  2. In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar together on medium speed for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down sides as needed.
  3. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Mix in vanilla extract, orange zest, and orange juice. The mixture may look curdled—this is normal.
  4. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  5. With mixer on low, add about one-third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, then half of the buttermilk. Repeat, ending with the flour mixture. Mix just until combined—do not overmix.
  6. In a small bowl, toss cranberries with 1 tablespoon of flour. Gently fold them into the batter with a rubber spatula until evenly distributed.
  7. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and spread evenly. Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If top browns too quickly, tent with foil at 40 minutes.
  8. Let bread cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Use parchment handles to lift it out and transfer to rack to cool completely.
  9. For the glaze: whisk together powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons orange juice. Add more juice a teaspoon at a time until pourable. Drizzle over completely cooled loaf and sprinkle with extra orange zest.

Notes

Room temperature ingredients are key for a tender crumb. Toss cranberries in flour to prevent sinking. Cool completely before glazing. Bread can be frozen unglazed for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: cranberry orange bread, easy cranberry bread, holiday bread, quick bread, orange glaze, bakery style bread

Find it online: https://fizzlefork.com/best-easy-cranberry-orange-bread-perfect-bakery-style/