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Easy Orange Cranberry Bread A Family Comfort Food Favorite

Best Orange Cranberry Bread

This Best Orange Cranberry Bread is moist, tender, and bursting with bright citrus flavor and tart cranberries. Finished with a sweet orange glaze, it’s the perfect loaf for holidays, brunch, or a cozy afternoon treat.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 10 slices
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • ½ cup buttermilk
  • ½ cup canola oil or neutral oil
  • ½ cup orange juice
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups fresh cranberries
  • 1 cup powdered sugar (for glaze)
  • 2–3 tablespoons orange juice (for glaze)

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a small bowl, mix the granulated sugar and orange zest together until the sugar becomes fragrant and lightly orange in color.
  4. In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, oil, orange juice, eggs, and vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients and the orange sugar mixture. Whisk until just combined—do not overmix.
  5. Gently fold in the fresh cranberries using a spatula or wooden spoon.
  6. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 65–75 minutes, tenting loosely with foil if the top browns too quickly. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a light crumb.
  7. Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  8. For the glaze, whisk powdered sugar and orange juice together until smooth. Adjust consistency as needed.
  9. Once the bread is fully cooled, drizzle with the orange glaze. Slice and serve.

Notes

You can use frozen cranberries without thawing. For extra citrus flavor, add a second tablespoon of orange zest to the batter.