Description
This Orange Cranberry Walnut Loaf is a moist, flavorful quick bread perfect for breakfast or dessert. Bursting with fresh orange flavor, tart cranberries, and crunchy walnuts, it’s lightly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg. A simple orange glaze on top adds a sweet, citrusy finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
Wet Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ cups orange juice (fresh or bottled)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Zest of 2 oranges
Additional Mix-ins
- 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, halved
- 1½ cups chopped walnuts
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2–3 tbsp fresh orange juice
- Extra orange zest for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two standard loaf pans with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg until evenly combined.
- Blend wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, orange juice, melted butter, vanilla extract, and orange zest until smooth.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir gently just until everything is moistened. Avoid overmixing to keep the loaf tender.
- Fold in cranberries and walnuts: Carefully fold in the halved cranberries and chopped walnuts, distributing them evenly throughout the batter.
- Bake: Evenly divide the batter between the prepared loaf pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool and glaze (optional): Allow the loaves to cool in the pans for about 10 minutes. Then transfer them onto a wire rack to cool completely. To make the glaze, mix the powdered sugar with 2 to 3 tablespoons of fresh orange juice until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled loaves and garnish with extra orange zest.
Notes
- For best results, use fresh orange juice to enhance the flavor, but bottled juice works fine.
- Adjust the amount of orange juice in the glaze to achieve your preferred consistency—thicker glaze will hold shape better.
- Frozen cranberries can be used without thawing but may slightly discolor the batter.
- Store the loaf wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
- The glaze is optional but adds a lovely sweet and tangy finish.
