Cranberry Orange Bread – Moist, Sweet, and Perfectly Zesty!
A soft, buttery loaf bursting with tart cranberries and fresh orange zest — a holiday-ready quick bread that’s perfect for breakfast, brunch, or gifting.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
Wet Ingredients:
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tbsp orange zest from 1 large orange
- ¾ cup fresh orange juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Add-ins:
- 1 ½ cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- ½ cup chopped nuts optional – walnuts or pecans
- 1 tbsp flour for tossing cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat Oven – Set oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease or line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Mix Dry Ingredients – In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Cream Butter & Sugar – In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy (2–3 minutes).
- Add Eggs & Flavoring – Beat in eggs one at a time, then mix in orange zest, orange juice, and vanilla.
- Combine – Gradually add dry ingredients, stirring just until combined.
- Fold in Cranberries – Toss cranberries with 1 tbsp flour, then gently fold into the batter along with nuts if using.
- Bake – Pour batter into loaf pan. Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool & Serve – Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and enjoy!