Orange Cranberry Bread with Zesty Orange Peel and Tart Fresh Cranberries
By Ethan Parker
Cook
60 min
Total
60 min
Servings
4
Level
Easy
Choose firm fresh cranberries with bright red skins for their tart pop and clear color in every slice. This orange cranberry quick bread folds them into a sweet, zesty batter scented with the zest of three large oranges, then bakes into a loaf that slices neatly for holiday serving.
Flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar form the dry base, with no baking soda or yeast in the formula. Buttermilk, oil, eggs, fresh orange juice, vanilla, and abundant orange zest make the wet mixture. Fold the dry mixture in gradually, then add chopped or halved cranberries just before the batter is fully combined so their tart flavor stays distinct.
The loaf is ready when a knife inserted in the center comes out without gooey batter. A clean-looking top with visible cranberry pieces is a useful visual cue, especially if a few berries are dropped over the batter before baking. The main risk is overmixing after the flour goes in, which can make a quick bread less tender.
Cool the loaf in its pan for about 15 minutes before moving it to a wire rack. Serve plain for a bright breakfast-style slice, or add the optional orange glaze for a sweeter finish. For gifting, the unglazed loaf is easier to wrap, and the source recommends tightly wrapping it in plastic before freezing.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Fresh cranberries bring sharp tartness against the sweet orange batter, while their red color remains clearly visible in the baked slices.
- Three large oranges supply zest plus fresh juice, giving the loaf a pronounced citrus character without adding a separate flavoring.
- Buttermilk contributes to the wet batter alongside oil and eggs, supporting the soft quick-bread texture described for this holiday loaf.
- Halved cranberries are an option when a stronger cranberry presence is wanted, letting the fruit stand out more than finely chopped pieces.
- The optional glaze uses powdered sugar, orange zest, and fresh juice, so a sweeter finish stays tied directly to the loaf’s citrus ingredients.
- Parchment with an overhang helps lift the cooled loaf from the pan, preserving clean slices for serving or wrapping as a gift.
Ingredients
- •1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- •½ teaspoon salt
- •1 teaspoon baking powder
- •1 cup sugar
- •3 large oranges orange zest
- •¾ cup buttermilk
- •½ cup oil
- •2 eggs
- •1 Tablespoon fresh orange juice
- •½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- •1 cup fresh cranberries (chopped or halved)
- •1 cup powdered sugar (optional orange glaze)
- •1 orange orange zest (optional orange glaze)
- •1 Tbsp. fresh orange juice (1-2 Tbsp., optional orange glaze)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a loaf pan with parchment or grease it well.
- 2
Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar in a bowl. Set aside.
- 3
In a large bowl, whisk together the orange zest, buttermilk, oil, eggs, orange juice, and vanilla.
- 4
Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and gently fold together.
- 5
Just before the batter is combined, add the cranberries and stir just until combined.
- 6
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about an hour, or until an inserted knife comes out clean.
- 7
Let the loaf cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack.
- 8
For the optional orange glaze, slowly add orange juice to the powdered sugar and whisk, using only enough juice for a thick but pourable consistency. Stir in the optional orange zest.
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