Cranberry Orange Quick Bread

When I attempted this bread recipe for the first time I made a happy little mistake. The instructions called for chopped cranberries, and I just threw them in the batter whole. Well, those cranberries did what cranberries do – they bobbed to the top of the batter and floated on the surface.

I thought I’d really messed things up, but I baked the loaves anyway. They turned out tasting absolutely fantastic, and the burst red berries on top made the bread vibrant and beautiful. I ended up making this recipe twice more. It’s dense and sweet and so citrusy. Every bite is packed with something to savor; tart cranberries, walnuts, and candied orange peel.

The recipe makes one 9 x 5-inch loaf, or three mini loaves 5.75 x 3. I prefer the mini loaves because the reduced bake time yields a less dense crust. You can find the Wilton loaf pans I used here. The pans have a nonstick surface already, but I needed some extra insurance. A spray of cooking oil made the loaves pop right out without a snag.

I’ve enjoyed this bread many times for breakfast with coffee. It has a triple dose of orange flavor with the candied orange peel and orange zest in the batter, and the glaze on top is made with freshly squeezed orange juice. It’s a good time to take advantage of all the beautiful winter citrus available now in grocery stores!

Cranberry Orange Quick Bread

Heather Baird

Tart cranberries contrast the sweet glaze and candied orange peel in this quick bread recipe. Yields one 8×4 inch loaf or three 5.75×3 inch loaves.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course Bread, Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 1 loaf

Equipment

• loaf pan

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup butter softened
• 4 ounces candied orange peel
• Zest of 1 orange about 1 tablespoon
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 1 cup whole cranberries
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1 tablespoon orange juice
• 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
• Enough freshly squeezed OJ to reach glaze consistency

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a nonstick loaf pan (8×4 inch) or three mini loaf pans (5.75 x 3 inch) with cooking spray.
• Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Add butter and mix until crumbly. Add the candied orange peel and orange zest. Add the buttermilk and egg; stir until moistened. Add the cranberries and nuts. Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s) and bake until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
• For an 8-inch loaf pan, bake for about 70 minutes; for mini loaves bake for 30-35 minutes (check at 30 minutes).
• Loosen the loaf (or loaves) from the sides of the pan and transfer to a wire cooling rack. When cool, prepare the glaze by combining the OJ, powdered sugar, and enough extra OJ to create a thick drizzle. Drizzle the glaze over the loaf and let set, about 1 hour.
• A large loaf can be gifted in a large gusseted bread bag. Smaller loaves can be gifted in small gusseted candy bags (available at craft stores).

Keyword buttermilk, candied orange peel, fresh whole cranberries

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