Description
This festive Christmas Cranberry Loaf is a delightful blend of tart cranberries and sweet orange flavor, making it the perfect holiday treat for your family and friends.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Loaf:
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (120ml) orange juice
- ½ cup (120ml) milk
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup (60ml) vegetable oil or melted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon orange zest (optional)
- 1 ½ cups (150g) fresh or frozen cranberries (if using frozen, thaw and drain)
- ½ cup (60g) chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
For the Glaze (optional):
- 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper if desired.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Mix the Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, combine the orange juice, milk, egg, oil (or melted butter), and vanilla extract. Add the orange zest if using.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir gently until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Add Cranberries and Nuts: Fold in the cranberries and chopped nuts (if using).
- Bake the Loaf: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Remove from the oven and let the loaf cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Optional Glaze: Whisk together the powdered sugar and orange juice to create the glaze. Drizzle over the cooled loaf.
- Serve: Slice and enjoy as a festive holiday treat!
Notes
- Ensure not to overmix the batter for a lighter loaf.
- Cover with aluminum foil if the top is browning too quickly.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 50-60 minutes
- Category: Breads
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 250mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 20mg