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The Best Homemade Orange Cranberry Quick Bread Recipe

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This Orange Cranberry Quick Bread is a moist, tender loaf bursting with tart cranberries and bright citrus flavor, topped with a vanilla-orange glaze. It’s quick to make, uses simple ingredients, and is perfect for holidays, brunch, or any day you need a comforting treat.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • ⅓ cup (80ml) vegetable oil
  • ⅓ cup (80ml) orange juice, fresh squeezed
  • 2 tablespoons orange zest
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups (170g) fresh or frozen cranberries
  • For the Vanilla Glaze:
  • 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2–3 tablespoons (30-45ml) orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) milk (optional, for creamier glaze)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with butter or non-stick spray. Optionally, line with parchment paper, leaving overhang on long sides.
  2. Zest and juice the orange. Wash orange first, then grate 2 tablespoons of zest (avoid white pith). Cut orange in half and squeeze ⅓ cup juice. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed. Make a well in the center.
  4. In a separate medium bowl, beat eggs lightly. Add oil, orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth and slightly frothy.
  5. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Stir with a rubber spatula just until flour is incorporated (15-20 strokes). Batter will be thick and slightly shaggy; a few lumps are fine. Do not overmix.
  6. Fold in cranberries gently, being careful not to crush them. If using frozen cranberries, add them straight from the freezer.
  7. Transfer batter to prepared loaf pan. Spread evenly and smooth top. Tap pan gently on counter to release air bubbles.
  8. Bake for 55-65 minutes. After 30 minutes, rotate pan front to back for even browning. Bread is done when a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, or internal temperature reaches 200-205°F (93-96°C). If top browns too quickly (after about 40 minutes), tent loosely with foil.
  9. Cool bread in pan for 10 minutes on a cooling rack. Then lift out using parchment handles (or run a knife around edges and turn out onto rack). Cool completely.
  10. While bread cools, make glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons orange juice. Add more juice if needed for a thick but pourable consistency. If too thin, add more powdered sugar; if too thick, add more juice.
  11. Once bread is completely cool, drizzle glaze over top. Let set for about 15 minutes before slicing.
  12. Slice with a serrated knife, wiping blade between cuts for clean slices. Serve at room temperature or warm slightly (10 seconds in microwave) for a melty glaze.

Notes

Don’t overmix the batter to avoid tough bread. Fresh or frozen cranberries both work; add frozen straight from the freezer. Let bread cool completely before glazing to prevent glaze from soaking in. Bread freezes well (unglazed) for up to 3 months. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. For a lower-sugar version, reduce sugar to ¾ cup and use a sugar-free glaze.

Nutrition

Keywords: orange cranberry bread, quick bread, cranberry bread, orange bread, holiday bread, easy bread recipe, homemade bread

Find it online: https://lolaspoon.com/the-best-homemade-orange-cranberry-quick-bread-recipe/