This moist Cranberry Orange Loaf is packed with the tart cranberries and sweet orange glaze and it is one of my favorite holiday recipes. It’s perfectly sweet and bursting with orange flavor, but also a touch tangy from the cranberries. It is so easy to mix up and is perfect for the winter season, but can also be enjoyed any time of the year.
Cranberry and orange is one of my favorite holiday flavor combinations. The combination of sweet and tart in this recipe is amazingly wonderful. Top it with the wonderful orange glaze and you will be in heaven. The balance between the two fruits makes it not too sweet – just right! It is perfectly moist and quite addicting! You get to taste tart and sweet and a bit sour all at the same time. Totally refreshing!
This Cranberry Orange Loaf Cake is perfect to make all holiday season long and is perfect for breakfast, brunch or dessert!
INGREDIENTS FOR CRANBERRY ORANGE LOAF CAKE
- all-purpose/plain flour
- baking powder and baking soda
- salt
- orange and cranberries
- milk
- granulated sugar
- vanilla extract
- oil
- eggs
- powdered sugar
HOW TO MAKE CRANBERRY ORANGE LOAF CAKE
- Whisk together dry ingredients.
- Rub orange zest and sugar until fragrant.
- Whisk wet ingredients.
- Combine dry and wet ingredietns.
- Fold in floured cranberries.
- Bake and cool.
- Make the glaze and pour over cooled cake.
HOW TO STORE CRANBERRY ORANGE LOAF CAKE AND HOW LONG DOES IT LAST
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 7 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, and bring to room temperature before serving.
FEW TIP AND TRICKS
- I always suggest using a kitchen scale. If you don’t have one, buy it! They are cheap and you will always ensure same results in baking!
- Mixing the orange zest with the sugar, we are making orange infused sugar which really makes the orange flavor carry throughout the cake. Don’t skip this step!
- Make sure to mix your wet and dry ingredients together until just combined. You want to avoid overmixing the batter, otherwise, it can lead to a dense and tough loaf cake.
- Important: Coat cranberries with a bit of flour mixture. It will prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the cake!
- Cover your loaf loosely with aluminum foil half way through baking; this prevent the top from getting too brown.
- Bake just until a toothpick comes out clean in the center of the cake. Please do not over bake your cake, otherwise it will be dry!
- You can make this as a muffins. Bake 12 muffins in a standard size muffin tin at 180°C (350°F) for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. This recipe makes 18 muffins.
ANOTHER LOAF CAKES TO TRY:
→If you make this cake, please leave a comment, rate it and tag @mihaela_biteitquick on Instagram! I would love to see what you baked!
Happy baking,
Cranberry Orange Loaf Cake
Ingredients
- 280 grams all-purpose/plain flour 2 ¼ cup
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 200 grams granulated sugar 1 cup
- 120 grams oil 1/2 cup
- finely grated zest of 1 orange
- 180 grams milk 3/4 cup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 200 grams cranberries fresh or frozen, if frozen do not thaw
Glaze:
- 120 grams powdered sugar 1 cup, sifted
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice + more if needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a 23x13 cm (9×5-inch) or similar dimensions loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Transfer 1/4 cup flour mixture to another bowl and gently toss with cranberries to coat.
- Rub sugar and zest together with your hands until sugar turns a pale orange and is fragrant.
- Whisk milk, egg, oil, orange sugar and vanilla until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Using rubber spatula, gently fold in floured cranberries.
- Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour (if using smaller loaf tin (8x4-inch) bake time is longer, around 1:15 hrs). Cover your loaf loosely with aluminum foil half way through baking; this prevent the top from getting too brown. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.
- For the glaze whisk together the ingredients until you get smooth and thick but pourable glaze.
Notes
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