Description
This Cranberry Orange Loaf Cake is bursting with fresh citrus flavor and juicy cranberries, making it the perfect balance of sweet and tart. Soft, buttery, and topped with a simple orange glaze, this easy loaf is perfect for breakfast, snack time, or dessert. Plus, it smells absolutely incredible while baking!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cake
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup fresh orange juice
- Zest of 1 orange
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
For the Orange Glaze (Optional)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- ½ teaspoon orange zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and lightly flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper.
- Mix dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).
- Add wet ingredients. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in orange juice, zest, and vanilla extract until combined.
- Combine batter. Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- Fold in cranberries. Gently stir cranberries into the batter, ensuring even distribution.
- Bake. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
- Make glaze. In a small bowl, whisk powdered sugar, orange juice, and zest until smooth. Drizzle over cooled loaf.
- Slice and enjoy! Let the glaze set, then slice and serve.
Notes
- Toss cranberries in a little flour before adding them to the batter to prevent them from sinking.
- If using frozen cranberries, do not thaw them before adding to the batter.
- For an extra citrus boost, add an additional teaspoon of orange zest.
- This loaf stays fresh for 3 days at room temperature or up to a week in the fridge.
- Freeze slices for up to 3 months—just thaw and warm slightly before serving!
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 50
- Category: Dessert, Breakfast, Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Cranberry Orange Loaf Cake, cranberry bread, orange cake, cranberry dessert, easy loaf cake, holiday baking, citrus cake, cranberry orange bread