Cranberry Orange Loaf Glaze (Print Version)
A moist loaf featuring tart cranberries and fresh orange, finished with a sweet citrus glaze.
# What You'll Need:
→ Loaf
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour (250 g)
02 - 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
04 - ½ teaspoon salt
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
06 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (115 g)
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - ½ cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream (120 ml)
09 - ¼ cup milk (60 ml)
10 - Zest of 1 large orange
11 - ¼ cup fresh orange juice (60 ml)
12 - 1 ½ cups fresh or frozen cranberries, halved if large (150 g)
13 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Glaze
14 - 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted (120 g)
15 - 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
# How to Cook:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
03 - Using an electric mixer or whisk, beat softened butter with granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
04 - Beat in eggs one at a time, then mix in yogurt (or sour cream), milk, orange zest, orange juice, and vanilla extract until smooth.
05 - Gradually fold dry ingredients into wet mixture until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
06 - Gently fold in cranberries to distribute evenly throughout the batter.
07 - Pour batter into prepared pan, smooth the surface, and bake for 50 to 60 minutes. Tent loosely with foil after 40 minutes if browning too quickly.
08 - Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
09 - Whisk powdered sugar with orange juice until smooth and drizzle over the cooled loaf.
10 - Allow glaze to set before slicing and serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The cranberries stay whole and pop on your tongue instead of disappearing into the crumb—it's the texture that makes people ask for the recipe.
- Fresh orange juice and zest work together so the citrus flavors don't feel forced or artificial, just bright and true.
- It comes together in under 20 minutes of actual work, then the oven does the thinking while you do something else.
02 -
- Overmixing is the single biggest mistake—fold in your dry ingredients by hand with a spatula instead of an electric mixer, stopping the moment you don't see flour streaks anymore.
- Fresh cranberries sink if you don't cut the large ones in half; the smaller pieces stay suspended throughout the batter and give you cranberry in every bite.
- The loaf tastes even better on day two when the flavors have had time to meld and the crumb has become more tender.
03 -
- Weigh your ingredients if you can; baking is a science and a scale removes the guesswork that makes loaves turn out dense or dry.
- Cut the cranberries in half the night before and freeze them in a small container—they'll stay separate and distribute evenly through the batter without sinking.