Cranberry Orange Bread

Moist • Bright • Bakery-Style

A classic sweet bread with fresh orange flavor and bursts of tangy cranberry—perfect for breakfast, tea, or gifting.

 Time & Yield

• Prep: 15 minutes
• Bake: 50–60 minutes
• Total: ~1 hour 15 minutes
• Yield: 1 loaf (8–10 slices)

 Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt

Wet Ingredients

• Zest of 2 oranges
• ¾ cup fresh orange juice
• ½ cup vegetable oil (or melted butter)
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Add-Ins

• 1½ cups fresh or frozen cranberries (halved if large)

Optional Orange Glaze

• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• 2–3 tbsp fresh orange juice
• ½ tsp orange zest

 Instructions (Step-by-Step)

1. Preheat oven to 175°C / 350°F. Grease or line a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
2. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl: flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt.
3. Infuse the sugar (optional but recommended): Rub orange zest into the sugar with your fingers until fragrant—this boosts orange flavor.
4. Whisk wet ingredients: orange juice, oil, eggs, vanilla.
5. Combine: Add wet mixture to dry ingredients. Stir just until combined (do not overmix).
6. Fold in cranberries gently.
7. Bake 50–60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. If browning too fast, tent loosely with foil.
8. Cool 15 minutes in pan, then transfer to a rack.
9. Glaze (optional): Mix glaze ingredients and drizzle over cooled loaf.

 Nutrition & Allergen Info

 Contains

• Gluten (wheat flour)
• Eggs

 Nut Information

• Nut-free by default
• Risk only if added: walnuts, almonds, pistachios (optional add-ins)
• Safe for nut-free diets if no nuts are added and labels are checked

 Dairy

• Dairy-free when made with oil
• If using butter or milk-based glaze → contains dairy

 Variations & Substitutions

• Whole Wheat: Replace ½ cup flour with whole wheat flour
• Lower Sugar: Reduce sugar to ½ cup
• Healthier: Replace oil with unsweetened applesauce (½ cup)
• Extra Moist: Add ¼ cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
• Festive: Add ½ tsp cinnamon + ¼ tsp nutmeg

 Q & A

Q: Can I use dried cranberries?
Yes. Use 1 cup and soak in orange juice for 10 minutes first.

Q: Can I freeze this bread?
Yes. Wrap tightly and freeze up to 3 months (glaze after thawing).

Q: Why is my bread bitter?
Too much orange pith (white part). Zest only the orange skin.

Q: Can I make muffins instead?
Yes! Bake at 180°C / 350°F for 18–22 minutes.

Q: How long does it stay fresh?
3 days at room temp, 5–6 days refrigerated.

 Serving Ideas

• Warm slice with butter
• With tea or coffee
• Toasted with honey
• Holiday gift loaf

• Author
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Sara Mitchell

Sara Mitchell is an expert restaurant content creator who writes easy-to-read guides about CAVA and other Mediterranean fast-casual chains in the United States. She covers locations, menus, prices, and hours, making it simple for visitors to find nearby restaurants and what to order quickly.

With years of experience in restaurant research and local SEO, Sara creates accurate, user-friendly guides that work for both people and search engines. Her goal is to help users go from search results to their nearest restaurant or menu choice with as few clicks as possible.

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