Cranberry Orange Bread With Orange Icing

Iced Orange Cranberry Bread
Iced Orange Cranberry Bread. Diana Rattray
  • 70 mins
  • Prep: 15 mins,
  • Cook: 55 mins
  • Yield: 1 Loaf (12 servings)
Ratings (9)

By Diana Rattray

Updated 12/20/17

An orange icing makes this moist and delicious cranberry orange bread extra-special. Make the icing as thick or thin as you like and then drizzle or spread it over the quick bread. A light drizzling of icing adds bright orange flavor, and it doesn't distract from the tart cranberries.

Because it's made with fresh cranberries, it is seasonal. When fresh cranberries are available in the fall, freeze some to use throughout the year.

Feel free to make this yummy sweet cranberry bread without the icing. Just cool, slice, and serve, or dust it with powdered sugar before serving. 

What You'll Need

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, 9 ounces
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
  • 2 cups fresh chopped cranberries
  • 3/4 cup of orange juice (from 3 oranges)
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons of orange zest (from 3 oranges)
  • 4 tablespoons melted butter
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • For the Icing
  • 1 to 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, or more, as desired
  • 1 to 3 tablespoons orange juice (from reserved orange juice)
  • 1 tablespoon melted butter
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest (from reserved orange zest)
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

How to Make It

  1. Heat the oven to 350 F (180 C/Gas 4).
  2. Grease and flour a 9- by- 5-inch loaf pan. 
  3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and sugar until well blended. Stir in the nuts and chopped cranberries. With a wooden spoon, mix until ingredients are blended.
  4. Put 3 tablespoons of the orange juice and 1 teaspoon of orange zest in a small bowl; set aside.
  5. Combine the remaining orange zest, orange juice, and the 4 tablespoons of melted butter. Whisk in the egg. Pour over dry ingredients and mix just until all ingredients are dampened. Do not overmix.
  1. Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
  2. Bake in the preheated oven for about 55 to 65 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
  3. Cool in the pan on rack.
  4. Meanwhile, make the icing. Stir 1 cup of confectioners' sugar with 1 tablespoon of the reserved orange juice, 1 tablespoon of melted butter, the reserved orange zest, and the 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla. Add more orange juice or more confectioners' sugar to get a good spreading or drizzling consistency. 

Expert Tips

  • Because baking powder and baking soda begin to produce gas as soon as they are moistened, mix them with the flour and other dry ingredients before you combine them with the wet ingredients. And have the oven preheated and pan ready before you combine the dry with the wet. 

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Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
Calories 295
Total Fat 11 g
Saturated Fat 4 g
Unsaturated Fat 5 g
Cholesterol 30 mg
Sodium 422 mg
Carbohydrates 48 g
Dietary Fiber 3 g
Protein 3 g
(The nutrition information on our recipes is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. Individual results may vary.)