Orange Glazed Cranberry Loaf is perfect for festive seasons and sharing love with family and friends. This quick bread is buttery and soft, perfect for brunch, dessert, or simply with a cup of tea or coffee!
About Eggless Cranberry Bread
A combination of cranberry and orange is absolutely delicious and lovely! I have already posted many recipes using oranges and a few with fresh and dried cranberries. After posting this Cranberry Orange Scones (Eggless) recipe, I wanted to share the Cranberry Loaf recipe, but somehow it took me a while. But anyway, here I am with another quick bread recipe when the holidays are approaching. Fresh cranberries are found in almost every grocery store during fall and winter. But somehow, if you do not get them, you can use frozen cranberries in this recipe without thawing them. The recipe is straightforward to follow and does not require any fancy ingredients. Each bite of this loaf cake is slightly tart with cranberries and bursting with refreshing orange flavor. I have used melted butter to provide a delicious buttery taste to this sweet orange glazed cranberry loaf. However, you can swap it with equal neutral oil if you like. This Orange Glazed Cranberry Loaf is without eggs but super moist with soft crumbs. No egg replacer is needed; sour cream does a great job in this recipe.
Ingredients
All-Purpose Flour: I have used unbleached all-purpose flour, and I will recommend the same. Also, measure the flour correctly; use a kitchen scale for the best results. Baking Powder and Baking Soda: They both are required as leavening agents for this quick bread. Salt: It provides a pleasant contrast to sweet and tart flavors. Cranberries: I have used fresh cranberries, but you can also use frozen ones. If using frozen cranberries, do not thaw them. Butter: Use unsalted and melted butter for the recipe. If you use salted butter, skip adding the salt. Sugar: Sugar provides sweetness and structure to the loaf cake. I have used granulated sugar, but you can swap half of the granulated sugar with brown sugar. Sour Cream: It makes the eggless cranberry bread tender and moist. Use full-fat and room-temperature sour cream. Instead of sour cream, you can use full-fat yogurt without the watery part. Milk: It adds flavor and makes the loaf cake moist. You can use whole or 2% milk for the recipe, but not fat-free dairy. Orange Juice and Zest: Both elements add a refreshing citrus flavor to the bread. If you do not want to use orange juice, replace it with milk. Vanilla: Use pure vanilla for the best flavors. Orange Glaze: We need icing sugar and fresh orange juice to make this glaze. It provides extra orange flavor and sweetness to the cranberry bread. Instead of orange glaze, you can make the sugar glaze; add milk or cream to the sugar instead of orange juice. Or you can skip glazing the bread if you want.
Step-by-Step Directions
Making Eggless Cranberry Bread
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray or butter. Set aside. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl and whisk until well combined.
Add cranberries to the flour mixture and mix gently.
Whisk melted butter, sour cream, sugar, orange zest, and vanilla in a medium bowl until everything is well combined and smooth.
Add orange juice and milk and whisk well until everything is well combined.
Add wet ingredients to the dry and mix to incorporate everything well; do not overmix.
Pour batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The baking time may vary, so watch the bread after 40 minutes.
If the top of the bread is browning too quickly, loosely cover the pan with aluminum foil and continue baking. Remove the pan from the oven and transfer to a wire rack. Let the loaf cake cool completely in the pan before removing and slicing.
Glazing The Cranberry Orange Loaf
Combine the icing sugar with orange juice in a small bowl to create a thick and glossy glaze.
Spoon the glaze over the top of the loaf, allowing it to drip down the sides. Allow the glaze to set for about 15 minutes before cutting the cake.
Storing Suggestions
Cover and store the Eggless Cranberry Bread at room temperature for two days or refrigerate for a week. This loaf freezes well. Cover it tightly without glaze once completely cooled, and freeze it for up to 3 months. Then, allow the bread to thaw at room temperature and top it with orange glaze, if desired, before slicing and serving.
Helpful Tips
Measurements: Make sure to measure the ingredients correctly. For the best result, use a kitchen scale to weigh the ingredients if you have one. Butter: Use unsalted and melted butter for this loaf cake. However, you can use the same amount of oil or half butter and half oil. Sour Cream: I have used sour cream as I always have it in my fridge. But you can use homemade or store-bought plain yogurt for the recipe. Also, use full-fat sour cream or yogurt for the best results. If you use yogurt, do not use the watery part and use only thick yogurt. Sugar: This cake is not overly sweet and perfect to our taste. So, I will recommend not cutting back on sugar to avoid the overwhelming tartness of the cranberries. Avoid the orange glaze if you want to cut back on sugar; the bread will still be mildly sweet and delicious. Milk: Use whole milk for the rich texture, if possible, and bring it to room temperature before using it for the recipe. Mixing The Batter: Do not overmix the batter to get a soft and tender cake. Baking: Watch the eggless cranberry bread after 40 minutes because every oven differs. While baking, if the top of the loaf is browning too quickly, remove it from the oven after 30 – 35 minutes and loosely cover it with aluminum foil. Then, return it to the oven and continue baking for the remaining time.
