Barefoot Contessa Cranberry Orange Bread Recipe
This Barefoot Contessa Cranberry Orange Bread recipe offers a delightful combination of tart cranberries and bright orange flavors wrapped in a moist, tender loaf. Perfect for breakfast or a sweet snack, the bread features fresh orange zest and juice paired with whole cranberries, baked to golden perfection and optionally dusted with powdered sugar for an extra touch of sweetness.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf (about 10-12 slices) 1x
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp orange zest
Wet Ingredients
- ¾ cup fresh orange juice
- ¼ cup melted butter
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Other
- 1½ cups fresh cranberries
- Powdered sugar (optional, for dusting)
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare the pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan to ensure the bread does not stick during baking.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and orange zest until well blended. This ensures even distribution of leavening agents and flavor.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, combine the fresh orange juice, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth and thoroughly combined.
- Incorporate wet into dry: Pour the wet ingredient mixture into the dry ingredients bowl and stir gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the bread tender.
- Fold in cranberries: Gently fold the fresh cranberries into the batter, ensuring they are evenly distributed throughout without crushing them.
- Pour and bake: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the loaf is golden on top.
- Cool and serve: Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, dust with powdered sugar if desired, slice, and serve.
Notes
- Make sure not to overmix the batter to keep the bread soft and tender.
- Fresh cranberries provide the best texture and tartness, but frozen can be used—just do not thaw before adding.
- You can substitute orange juice with freshly squeezed lemon juice for a different citrus flavor.
- Store the bread wrapped tightly at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
- The powdered sugar dusting is optional but adds a nice presentation touch and slight sweetness.
Keywords: cranberry orange bread, Barefoot Contessa, quick bread recipe, citrus bread, holiday bread, cranberry loaf
