Moist Cranberry Orange Bread (Printable)

Moist bread bursting with tart cranberries and fresh orange zest, perfect for any time of day.

# What's Needed:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

06 - 3/4 cup whole milk
07 - 1/3 cup vegetable oil or melted unsalted butter
08 - 1 large egg
09 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 - 1 tablespoon orange zest (from 1 orange)

→ Add-Ins

11 - 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (if frozen, do not thaw)
12 - 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk the milk, oil or melted butter, egg, vanilla extract, and orange zest until smooth.
04 - Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently stir until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
05 - Fold in the cranberries and nuts if using, distributing them evenly through the batter.
06 - Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread evenly with a spatula.
07 - Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean.
08 - Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

# Tips for Success:

01 -
  • The perfect balance of moist texture and bright tartness feels like sharing a delicious little secret with a friend
  • The ease and speed of preparation make it a go-to when you want something both comforting and impressive
02 -
  • Don’t thaw frozen cranberries before folding them in; this prevents them from bleeding their color and keeps your batter beautiful
  • Adding orange zest is the game changer that lifts this bread from simple to spectacular
03 -
  • Fold the cranberries in gently at the end to prevent them from bleeding into the batter too much
  • Using orange zest instead of juice preserves that bright flavor without adding extra moisture that could weigh the bread down

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