Cranberry Orange Loaf
To make cranberry orange loaf, whisk together butter or oil, sugar, eggs, orange zest, and juice, then fold in flour and baking powder and about 1.5 cups of fresh or frozen cranberries. Bake in a loaf pan at 175 °C for about 55 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Halving or leaving the cranberries whole is your choice — whole ones burst into tart pockets. Tossing them in a little flour keeps them from sinking. Finish with an orange glaze while it's still warm.
As the cranberries come in for late fall, this bright, tart-sweet loaf is the one to bake. Fresh cranberries burst into little pockets of sharp fruit, orange zest makes the whole thing fragrant, and a simple orange glaze ties it together. It’s festive without being fussy — a loaf for cold mornings and the holiday table alike.
Fresh or frozen cranberries
Both work, and this is a great way to use a bag of either. Frozen cranberries are ideal — use them straight from the freezer without thawing, so they don’t bleed pink streaks through the batter. Cranberries freeze beautifully, so grab extra in season and bake this right through winter.
Keep the cranberries from sinking
Whole cranberries are heavy and love to sink. The fix is simple: toss them in a tablespoon of the measured flour before folding them in. The light coating helps them grip the batter and stay evenly spread. And don’t overmix — a thin, overworked batter lets them drop.
Whole or chopped
Left whole, the cranberries burst into bright, tart pockets. Chopped, they spread their tartness more evenly and read a little sweeter. Either is lovely — whole is prettier, chopped is mellower.
The orange glaze
A quick icing-sugar-and-orange-juice glaze drizzled over the warm loaf soaks in slightly and adds a sweet, citrusy finish that balances the tart berries. Don’t skip it — it’s what makes the loaf feel finished.
Make it yours
- Nutty: fold in chopped pecans or walnuts.
- Spiced: a little cinnamon or cardamom.
- Muffins: same batter, 20–22 minutes.
- Extra orange: stir a spoon of marmalade into the batter.
Slice it for breakfast, tea, or dessert. It keeps 3–4 days, freezes well, and its bright red-and-gold slices look like the holidays on a plate.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use frozen cranberries?
Yes, and they're perfect for this — use them straight from frozen, don't thaw, or they'll bleed pink through the batter. Toss them in a tablespoon of the flour first so they stay suspended, and add a few minutes to the bake time. Cranberries freeze well, so buy extra in season and bake this all winter.
The cranberries are too tart — what can I do?
Cranberries are meant to be tart — that's the contrast that makes this loaf. But you can chop them and toss with a spoonful of sugar first, or add a little extra sugar to the batter. The orange and the sweet glaze balance the tartness; don't try to remove it entirely or you lose what makes the loaf special.
Why did my cranberries sink to the bottom?
Whole cranberries are heavy. Toss them with a tablespoon of the measured flour before folding them in — the light coating helps them grip the batter and stay evenly distributed instead of sinking. Don't overmix the batter, which thins it and lets them drop.