Orange Cranberry Loaf

Does anyone else feel like January is always the month of leftovers? What with the leftover turkey and trimmings to work through, it’s no wonder. I had a bag of cranberries left over that didn’t make it into the cranberry sauce at Christmas. It’s not often I have fresh cranberries to work with, so it was a nice treat to bake with them.

I decided to make a quick bread with them, and what better pairing with cranberries than citrus. Fresh cranberries deserve fresh orange juice and zest to complement it, no?

This bread comes together so quickly and easily, and has a fresh taste to it thanks to the oranges and the tart cranberries. It’s also not too sweet, making it a great treat to go with your morning coffee or tea!



Orange Cranberry Loaf
Makes one 9 x 5-inch loaf

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Zest of 1 orange
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 large egg
3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

Preheat oven to 350°F and place rack in the centre of the oven. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the oil and egg until well combined, about 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually add in the sugar and whisk until light and fluffy. Stir in orange zest and vanilla extract; stir to combine. Next, alternate between the dry ingredients and orange juice, starting and ending with the dry. Mix after each addition until just combined—do not overmix. Fold in the cranberries.

Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. Remove the bread from the pan and let cool completely before slicing.