Cranberry Orange Bread

Cranberry Orange Bread is nice for breakfast, snacking, or wrapping up a loaf to share. This model leans into all the pieces you need from the traditional combo. The applesauce and melted butter make the loaf keep moist for days. And the orange juice, zest, and a tiny trace of orange extract provide you with a strong citrus vibe with out going overboard.

Make fast breads like this of any taste utilizing my base quick bread recipe.

Why My Recipe

Additional moist texture because of a full cup of applesauce and melted butter.
A lot of orange taste from juice, zest, and only a contact of orange extract.
Optionally available glaze soaks into the loaf for additional moisture and a candy end.

Overhead view of sliced cranberry orange bread on a white marble board, surrounded by bright orange slices and fresh cranberries.

The glaze will get poured over the loaf whereas the bread remains to be heat and it soaks proper in. It provides additional moisture and a light-weight sweetness that ties all the pieces collectively. That is the sort of fast bread that someway disappears sooner than anybody admits to consuming it. It really works for brunch, snacking, gifting, or stealing a slice if you’re presupposed to be cleansing the kitchen.

Ingredient Notes

Unsweetened Apple Sauce: Ensure that it’s unsweetened so the bread doesn’t prove too candy.
Brown Sugar: Mild or darkish brown sugar each work. Darkish provides a deeper taste.
Melted Butter: Butter provides higher taste, whereas oil retains the loaf additional tender. Use whichever you favor.
Orange Juice: Recent or bottled each work. There’s not sufficient juice within the orange you zest to make each the bread and the glaze.
Giant Egg: A room-temperature egg mixes extra easily, however straight from the fridge is completely high quality too.
Vanilla Extract: Attempt to use the true factor.
Orange Extract: This boosts the citrus taste. If you happen to don’t have any, add yet another teaspoon of zest.
Salt: Common desk salt works completely.
Baking Soda: Examine that it’s contemporary to make sure a great rise.
Baking Powder: Ensure that it’s not expired or the loaf might bake dense.
All-Objective Flour: Scoop and sweep technique of measuring is most popular.
Craisins: You possibly can exchange with 1 cup contemporary or frozen cranberries, chopped. Recent or frozen provides you with a extra tart taste.
Orange Zest: Solely zest the highest orange layer and keep away from the white pith for one of the best taste.

Recent vs Dried Cranberries

You possibly can completely use both dried cranberries or contemporary ones on this bread. Craisins provide you with a sweeter, chewier chew with no additional prep. Recent or frozen cranberries make the bread extra tart, so count on a brighter taste.

If utilizing contemporary or frozen, give them a fast chop so that they distribute evenly. There isn’t any want to regulate the baking time or the batter. Simply know the bread will style rather less candy, and that’s fully okay.

Optionally available Add-Ins

This bread is versatile if you wish to change it up. A handful of chopped pecans or walnuts provides a pleasant crunch. White chocolate chips soften into little candy pockets.

You may as well swap the craisins for chopped contemporary or frozen cranberries if you’d like a extra tart taste. So long as you don’t overload the batter, it is going to bake up properly.

Inform When Quickbread is Completed

Fast breads can look completed on high lengthy earlier than the middle is prepared. The simplest approach to examine for doneness is with a toothpick. Insert it into the middle of the loaf. If it comes out clear or with only a few crumbs, you might be good to go. If it comes out gooey, give the bread one other 5 to 10 minutes and examine once more. The highest must also spring again frivolously when pressed.

Two slices of cranberry orange bread on a small white plate with a gold beaded rim, garnished with fresh cranberries and orange slices.

Loaf Pan Dimension Choices

This recipe is written for an 8 by 4 inch loaf pan, however you continue to have choices. A 9 by 5 inch pan will work. The loaf will bake a bit flatter and end sooner, so begin checking it about ten minutes early.

You may as well cut up the batter into mini loaf pans. These sometimes bake in about 25 to half-hour. Simply control them as soon as they begin smelling wonderful.

Glaze Ideas

The perfect time to pour the glaze is when the loaf is sizzling from the oven. It soaks proper in and provides additional moisture and taste. I’ve you make extra glaze than you really need as a result of in any other case it’s too exhausting to prepare dinner in such small quantities. Simply give it a great, sugary soak.

Serving Solutions

This bread is nice heat, cool, toasted, or sliced straight from the counter. You possibly can serve it with butter, cream cheese, or nothing in any respect. It additionally seems to be nice on a brunch desk. And in case you have a slice left the subsequent morning, turning it into French toast isn’t a nasty thought.

Storage & Freezing

Retailer leftover Cranberry Orange Bread in an hermetic container at room temperature for as much as 3 days. In case your kitchen runs heat, place it within the fridge as an alternative to maintain it a bit longer. The glaze helps maintain the loaf moist, so it holds up effectively.

Freezing Directions: Wrap the cooled loaf tightly in plastic wrap, then place it in a freezer secure bag or container. Freeze for as much as 3 months. You may as well freeze particular person slices for fast breakfasts. Thaw the loaf or slices at room temperature.