Q1: What is the secret to a super moist quick bread?

This recipe has two main secrets! The first is using ingredients with a high moisture content, like the fresh orange juice and the sour cream (correction: this recipe doesn't have sour cream, the ingredient list has an egg and milk) and the juicy pieces of fresh orange. The second, and most important, secret is to not overmix your batter after you have added the flour. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which can result in a bread that is tough and dry.

Q2: Can I use fresh cranberries instead of dried?

Yes, you can, but the final texture and flavor will be a bit different. If you use 1 1/2 cups of fresh or frozen (no need to thaw) cranberries , the bread will be much more tart and will have very juicy, bursting pockets of fruit. You may want to coarsely chop them first and increase the sugar in the recipe by about 1/4 cup to balance the tartness.

Q3: How do I keep my mix-ins, like the cranberries and orange pieces, from sinking to the bottom of the loaf?

This recipe has a very thick, sturdy batter, which is fantastic for suspending the fruit evenly. Another great, classic baker's trick is to toss your mix-ins (like the cranberries, orange pieces, or any nuts you might add) in 1 to 2 tablespoons of the dry flour mixture before you fold them into the finished batter. This light coating of flour helps them to "grip" the batter and prevents them from sinking.

Q4: How do I store and freeze this Cranberry Orange Bread?

This bread stores and freezes beautifully! To store it, let it cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. It will stay wonderfully moist at room temperature for up to 4 days. To freeze it, simply add a layer of aluminum foil over the plastic wrap. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Q5: Can I make this recipe without a food processor?

Yes, you absolutely can! To make the dough by hand, simply place your dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the cold, cubed butter and use a pastry blender, two knives, or your fingertips to quickly cut the fat into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining. Then, in a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (orange zest, juice, and egg) and stir them into the flour mixture until just combined. Finally, fold in the fruit.

The Best Moist & Easy Cranberry Orange Bread

A simple and flavorful recipe for a classic cranberry orange quickbread, with a batter that comes together easily in a food processor. The method involves pulsing flour, sugars, and cold butter to create a crumbly base, then adding orange zest, juice, and an egg. The batter is finished by stirring in diced fresh orange sections and dried cranberries. The loaf is then baked for over an hour until a tester comes out clean and is cooled completely before slicing.

Author: Evelyn
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes (includes cooling time)
Yield: 8-12 slices 1x
Category: Bread
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for the loaf pan
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 stick (8 tablespoons) cold butter, cut into pea-size pieces, plus extra for the loaf pan
2 oranges (1 zested and juiced, 1 peeled and diced)
1 egg
1 cup dried cranberries

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan.
In a food processor, combine the flour, sugars, salt, baking soda, and butter. Pulse until the mixture resembles finely grated cheese or coarse meal.
Add the orange zest, orange juice, and the egg. Pulse just until the mixture is combined.
Transfer the batter to a bowl and stir in the diced orange sections and the dried cranberries.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread evenly.
Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the cooking time to ensure even baking.
The bread is done when a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let the bread cool in the pan for about 20 minutes before removing it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Slice and serve once fully cooled.

Notes

Special Equipment: A 9 by 5-inch loaf pan is required for this recipe.
Using a food processor is a quick and easy way to mix the batter for this quickbread.
It is important to let the bread cool completely before slicing to ensure it holds its shape and doesn’t crumble.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice
Calories: 320-380
Sugar: 35-45 g
Sodium: 200-250 mg
Fat: 10-14 g
Saturated Fat: 6-9 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 55-65 g
Fiber: 2-4 g
Protein: 4-6 g
Cholesterol: 40-60 mg

Find it online: https://cookupjoy.com/cranberry-orange-bread/