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Slice of brown quick bread with red cranberries and white glaze on top

Glazed Cranberry Orange Bread

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This Glazed Cranberry Orange bread is filled with juicy cranberries and fresh orange zest. Topped with a sweet citrus glaze, this is just as much dessert as it is the perfect treat for breakfast. Tart fresh cranberries paired with the sweet orange glaze are the perfect combo for the holiday season.  This is an easy quick bread recipe that is perfect for gift-giving during Christmas.
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Equipment

  • 2 Loaf Pans
  • Medium Steel Bowl
  • Whisk
  • Hand Mixer
  • Large Bowl
  • Scraper Spatula
  • Wire Cooling Rack
  • Utinsel Set
  • Porcelain Bowls

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • ⅔ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • 2 cups fresh cranberries
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoon orange juice
  • 1 Tbsp water

Instructions
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    Spray 2 loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
    In a medium bowl, wisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
    In a large mixing bowl, use an electric hand mixer to beat together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, buttermilk, vegetalbe oil, eggs, and vanilla. Take care to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl while mixing.
    Add the dry flour mixture into the large bowl with liquids. Mix well, but there will still be some lumps and batter will be thick.
    Add in the orange zest and fresh cranberries. Use a rubber spatula or large spoon to mix gently, just until combined.
    Divide batter evenly between the two prepared loaf pans.
    Bake for 55-60 minutes until a knife inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
    Place loaf pans on a wire cooling rack and let cool completely (2+ hours).
    Once bread is cool completeely, make the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, orange juice, and water. I prefer to add the glaze to the bread while in the pan and then slicing it once glaze is set.

Video

Notes

If you don't have buttermilk, you can use 1 ½ tablespoon vinegar and enough milk to equal two cups.  Or you can easily substitute ⅔ whole fat sour cream with 1 ⅓ whole milk.
If you want this to be a quick recipe, skip the glaze all together.  It is wonderful served warm.
Freezing: you can easily freeze this bread unglazed by double wrapping the cooled bread in plastic wrap and then sealing it in a zip-top bag in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Oranges: after you use a microplane grater to zest your orange, use the orange for fresh-squeezed orange juice in the glaze. 
Baking: if you notice the top of your bread getting too brown before it is baked through, cover loosely with a foil tent for the remaining baking time. 
Glaze: I like to let the bread cool for about an hour in the pan and then pour the glaze on the bread while it is still in the pan.  It reminds me of how the glaze sets up on the quick bread you can find in your favorite bakery.
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