Cranberry Orange Loaf With Orange Glaze (eggless)

This eggless cranberry orange loaf cake is soft, moist, tart, and sweet, bursting with refreshing citrus-y flavors. Topped with a zingy orange glaze, this loaf is perfect for sharing with friends and family during the Holidays!

We are roughly about a week and a half away from Christmas. Have you’ll started with your Christmas preps yet? I started mine by soaking the dried fruits in rum for my boozy Christmas fruit cake two weeks ago.

I love fruit-based bread/cakes like this banana bread and mango loaf , both of which happen to be eggless. This orange bread is completely egg-free too since I know most of you prefer eggless bakes.

The inspiration for this cranberry orange loaf recipe is from my eggless orange cupcakes , which has been tried and tested by so many folks. So I knew, I could easily bake up a loaf using the same recipe without many trials.

I threw in some fresh cranberries and it worked perfectly in sync with the rest of the ingredients. Turned out so good you guys, you just have to try!

Look at the slices and the crumb, speckled with tart cranberries, doesn’t it look beautiful? Not only does it look good, but it tastes equally delicious as well.

• Why should you bake this loaf?
• Ingredients needed
• How to make eggless cranberry orange loaf- Step by step process
• Storage instructions
• Variations
• Recipe tips to make the best cranberry orange loaf
• Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
• Cranberry Orange Loaf With Orange Glaze (Eggless)

Why should you bake this loaf?

✓ It is moist, light, and delicious

✓ Does not need any fancy stand mixer or electric beater

✓ Egg-free

✓ Perfect for the Holidays

✓ Makes for a lovely edible gift

✓ Pairs well with a hot cup of coffee or tea

✓ It is so good it will be a great addition to your baking repertoire

Ingredients needed

To make this beautiful loaf, you will need;

All-purpose flour: This forms the base of the recipe.

Leavening agents: Baking powder and baking soda helps the loaf rise and makes it light.

Salt: A tiny pinch adds flavor to the cake.

Sugar: Adds sweetness to the loaf and also helps balance the tartness of the cranberries. I’ve used castor sugar here, I prefer using this sugar for cakes as the sugar crystals are smaller in size and dissolve quickly. For those in the US, you can use granulated cane sugar like Domino’s brand. If you use larger sugar crystals, measure out the required amount and powder it in a blender.

Yogurt: Since there are no eggs in the recipe, yogurt is used for the recipe. It acts perfectly well as an egg substitute here.

Oranges: You will need the zest and juice of oranges. Orange juice alone doesn’t add that required orange flavor and hence you do need the zest. You can use freshly squeezed orange juice or store-bought, both work equally well.

Vegetable oil: Oil adds moisture to this quick bread. Be sure to use neutral-flavored oil. If you’d like to use butter, you could use that too. Instead of 1/3 cup of oil, add 1/2 cup of melted unsalted butter. I avoid a 1:1 substitution of butter and oil as I find 1/2 cup of oil makes the cake a bit greasy for our liking.

Vanilla extract: An optional ingredient but I think it adds a nice flavor to the loaf.

For the orange glaze: You will need icing sugar, orange juice, unsalted melted butter, and orange zest to make this super simple glaze that elevates the flavor of this orange bread a notch higher.

How to make eggless cranberry orange loaf- Step by step process

Step 1: Prepare the loaf pan

Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with oil or oil spray. Line it with parchment paper. ( Photos 1 and 2 )

Preheat the oven to 350° F/ 180° C.

Step 2: Coat the cranberries

Add 1 cup cranberries in a bowl (reserve some for topping the batter). Coat cranberries with 1/2 teaspoon of all-purpose flour. Set aside. ( Photos 3 and 4 )

Step 3: Dry ingredients

Sift 1 & 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 & 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a mixing bowl. Whisk well and set aside. Sift 2-3 times for a lighter and airy cake. ( Photos 5 to 10 )

Step 4: Wet ingredients

In another mixing bowl, add 1/2 cup thick yogurt, 3/4 cup castor sugar. Whisk until well blended. ( Photos 11 to 13 )

Add 1/3 cup vegetable oil. ( Photo 14 )

Also, add 1/2 cup orange juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon of orange zest. Whisk well until everything is well combined. ( Photos 15 to 18 )

Step 5: Combine wet ingredients

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined and no more flour pockets are visible. ( Photos 19 to 22 )

Do not over mix, or you will end up with a pretty dense cake. A few lumps are okay in the batter.

Add the coated cranberries to the batter and fold gently. ( Photos 23 and 24 )

Step 6: Transfer the batter to the loaf pan and bake

Transfer the batter to a prepared pan. Smooth the surface using a spatula. ( Photos 25 and 26 )

Tap the pan to remove air bubbles. Top the batter with reserved cranberries. ( Photos 27 and 28 )

Bake at 180°C/ 350° F for about 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in comes out clean. ( Photo 29 )

Step 7: Cool the loaf

Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Loosen the edges with a butter knife. Then transfer to a wire rack and let it cool down completely. ( Photos 30 and 31 )

Step 8: Orange glaze

In a mixing bowl, sift 1 cup icing sugar, add 1 tablespoon orange juice, 1 tablespoon melted butter, 1 teaspoon orange zest. Whisk well until you have a smooth and pourable consistency. I added a little over 2 tablespoons of orange juice to adjust the consistency. ( Photos 32 to 38 )

If it is too runny, add more icing sugar. If it is too thick, thin it out with a few teaspoons of orange juice.

Once the orange cranberry loaf bread has cooled down completely, drizzle the glaze over the loaf. Garnish with sugared cranberries, orange slices, and rosemary sprigs. Enjoy!

Storage instructions

The best part about this eggless orange cranberry loaf is that it tastes even better the next day! The flavors marry beautifully! I highly recommend you bake the loaf a day in advance.

Wrap the loaf in plastic wrap or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

For longer shelf life, refrigerate for up to 6 to 7 days. Bring to room temperature before you intend to serve it.

You could also freeze the entire loaf or individual slices. Allow it to cool completely, wrap the loaf or slices in cling wrap, and place in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 to 3 months.

Avoid the glaze if you intend to freeze it. Let the cake thaw overnight in the fridge. You can then top it with the glaze if you’d like.

Variations

While this cake is so good and flavourful as it is, there is plenty of room to play around with optional add-ins like;

Chocolate chips or chunks: You can add about 1/2 cup of dark or semi-sweet (whatever you prefer) chocolate chips or chunks.

Nuts: These would make a great addition to this loaf. You can add about 1/2 cup of coarsely chopped nuts like walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, almonds, pistachios, etc to the batter. Be sure to coat the nuts with flour so that they don’t sink to the bottom of the cake. Another tip is to toast the nuts in a skillet over low heat, stirring occasionally for 5 to 7 minutes. This enhances the nutty flavors and makes them crunchy.

Flavors: You could skip the vanilla and flavor the loaf with about 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, ground cardamom, nutmeg, all-spice, etc instead. These spices would definitely make your home smell like Christmas! 🙂

Make a bundt cake: Use a 6-cup bundt pan. It will take about 45 minutes to bake.

Recipe tips to make the best cranberry orange loaf

I’d like to share a few tips, some are pretty basic and you may have read them in my earlier posts. Just in case this is your first time here, I’m sure it wouldn’t hurt to reiterate.

Zest the orange before juicing them: It is hard to zest the orange after it has been juiced, so please remember to zest it first.

Grease and line the loaf pan with parchment paper: This is a pretty moist and soft cake, so I highly suggest you line the pan with parchment paper. This makes it easy to pull the loaf out of the pan with ease and without the cake falling apart. If you have a really good nonstick loaf pan, just greasing and dusting the pan with flour should be fine.

Room temperature ingredients: Always start off with room temperature ingredients because the ingredients combine evenly.

Spoon the flour while measuring: Avoid scooping the flour out of the container as you end up using more flour than called for in the recipe. Fluff the flour in the container, then use a large spoon to spoon the flour into the measuring cup until it forms a mound, level the excess flour using the back of a knife.

Coat the cranberries with flour: If you skip this step, chances are that the cranberries will sink to the bottom of the cake instead of being evenly distributed across the cake batter.

The sweetness of the loaf: With the quantity of sugar specified in this recipe, the loaf is not overly sweet. It has the right amount of sweetness for us. I don’t suggest cutting back on it or the tartness of the cranberries will be overwhelming. If you watch your sugar intake, leave out the orange glaze. The bread is still mildly sweet and delicious.

Avoid overmixing: Never over-beat the batter once you combine the wet and dry ingredients. Doing so will develop gluten which will result in a tough and dense cake. Mix, just until you see no more flour pockets. A few tiny lumps are fine in the batter.

If the loaf is browning too quickly: This could happen if your oven is overheating. After about 30 minutes of baking, cover the loaf pan with aluminum foil to prevent the top from browning too quickly. If you bake often, I highly recommend you invest in an oven thermometer. This will ensure that you are always baking at the right temperature.

Definitely make that orange glaze: The loaf is delicious as such, but that orange glaze adds a zesty flavor that elevates the overall flavor of the cake. Do not skip it.

How to zest an orange?

Wash the orange well under running water. Pat dry with a clean kitchen napkin. Using a microplane or a grater, grate the outer skin taking care to avoid the white portion known as the pith, which is the layer between the orange flesh and the peel. The pith is bitter, adding it to the cake batter will render a bitter taste to the entire loaf.

Can I use frozen cranberries?

Yes, you can definitely use frozen cranberries. Do not thaw them, coat with flour, and use as you would fresh.

What about dried cranberries?

Yes, you can use dried cranberries as well if you don’t have access to fresh ones. Use about 3/4 cup of dried cranberries. You can rehydrate them before folding them in the batter.

To rehydrate dried cranberries: Place the dried cranberries in a bowl, and pour boiling water until they are fully submerged under the water. Set aside for 20-30 minutes or until the cranberries plump up. Drain the water and use the rehydrated cranberries in the recipe.

I do suggest cutting back on the sugar as per your preference as dried cranberries are already sweet enough.

How to make a vegan version of this recipe?

Swap the yogurt with the same quantity of your favorite non-dairy yogurt.

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Cranberry Orange Loaf With Orange Glaze (Eggless)

Ingredients1x2x3x

• 1 cup fresh cranberries coated with 1/2 teaspoon flour 100 grams, reserve some for topping

Dry ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 213 grams
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Wet ingredients

• 1/2 cup thick yogurt 125 grams
• 3/4 cup castor sugar or granulated cane sugar 158 grams
• 1/2 cup orange juice 125 ml
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon orange zest 5 grams
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the orange glaze

• 1 cup icing sugar/confectioner’s sugar
• 2-3 tablespoons orange juice add a tablespoon at a time
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1 tablespoon melted butter

Instructions

• Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan with oil or oil spray. Line it with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350° F/ 180° C.
• Add 1 cup cranberries in a bowl (reserve some for topping the batter). Coat cranberries with 1/2 teaspoon of all-purpose flour. Set aside.
• Sift all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl. Whisk well and set aside. Sift 2-3 times for a lighter and airy cake.
• In another mixing bowl, add yogurt and castor sugar. Whisk until well blended.
• Add oil, orange juice, vanilla extract, and orange zest.
• Whisk until everything is well combined.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined and no more flour pockets are visible.
• Do not over mix, or you will end up with a pretty dense cake. A few lumps are okay in the batter.
• Add the coated cranberries to the batter and fold gently.
• Transfer the batter to a prepared pan. Smooth the surface using a spatula.
• Tap the pan to remove air bubbles. Top the batter with reserved cranberries.
• Bake at 350° F/ 180° C for about 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Loosen the edges with a butter knife. Then transfer to a wire rack and let it cool down completely.
• In a mixing bowl, sift 1 cup icing sugar, add 1 tablespoon orange juice, 1 tablespoon melted butter, 1 teaspoon orange zest. Whisk well until you have a smooth and pourable consistency. I added a little over 2 tablespoons of orange juice to adjust the consistency.
• If it is too runny, add more icing sugar. If it is too thick, thin it out with a few teaspoons of orange juice.

Video

Nutrition

Cranberry Orange Loaf With Orange Glaze (Eggless)

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh cranberries coated with 1/2 teaspoon flour 100 grams, reserve some for topping

Dry ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 213 grams
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Wet ingredients

• 1/2 cup thick yogurt 125 grams
• 3/4 cup castor sugar or granulated cane sugar 158 grams
• 1/2 cup orange juice 125 ml
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon orange zest 5 grams
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the orange glaze

• 1 cup icing sugar/confectioner’s sugar
• 2-3 tablespoons orange juice add a tablespoon at a time
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1 tablespoon melted butter

Instructions

• Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan with oil or oil spray. Line it with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350° F/ 180° C.
• Add 1 cup cranberries in a bowl (reserve some for topping the batter). Coat cranberries with 1/2 teaspoon of all-purpose flour. Set aside.
• Sift all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl. Whisk well and set aside. Sift 2-3 times for a lighter and airy cake.
• In another mixing bowl, add yogurt and castor sugar. Whisk until well blended.
• Add oil, orange juice, vanilla extract, and orange zest.
• Whisk until everything is well combined.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined and no more flour pockets are visible.
• Do not over mix, or you will end up with a pretty dense cake. A few lumps are okay in the batter.
• Add the coated cranberries to the batter and fold gently.
• Transfer the batter to a prepared pan. Smooth the surface using a spatula.
• Tap the pan to remove air bubbles. Top the batter with reserved cranberries.
• Bake at 350° F/ 180° C for about 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Loosen the edges with a butter knife. Then transfer to a wire rack and let it cool down completely.
• In a mixing bowl, sift 1 cup icing sugar, add 1 tablespoon orange juice, 1 tablespoon melted butter, 1 teaspoon orange zest. Whisk well until you have a smooth and pourable consistency. I added a little over 2 tablespoons of orange juice to adjust the consistency.
• If it is too runny, add more icing sugar. If it is too thick, thin it out with a few teaspoons of orange juice.

Video

Nutrition

Add a touch of sparkle to your desserts and drinks this Holiday with these homemade candied cranberries aka sugared cranberries. You need just three ingredients to make these gorgeous and festive sugared cranberries!

I’m so glad to see the response I received on my eggless orange cranberry loaf that I posted just a couple of days ago. I was also asked about the sugared cranberries that I used as a garnish. And so, I thought I’d make a separate post on it since it rightly deserves a post on its own.

These sparkling cranberries are really easy to make and perfect for garnishing your Holiday treats! They look so festive and add that ‘wow’ factor to the simplest looking dessert or drink! They would make a perfect addition to your Holiday table or decor.

• What are candied cranberries?
• Ingredients needed to make these sparkling cranberries
• How to make candied cranberries – Step by step process
• Storage suggestions
• Variations
• Ways to use sugared cranberries
• Recipe Tips
• Candied Cranberries | Sugared Cranberries

What are candied cranberries?

Candied cranberries, sugared cranberries, or sugar-coated cranberries, or frosted cranberries call them what you may are nothing but fresh cranberries coated with simple syrup and rolled in sugar.

Some recipes use a mix of water and egg white instead of simple syrup. I prefer using the syrup over the egg white method.

As for how they taste? Even though they are coated with sugar, they are not sweet all the way through. The cranberries are still tart since they are not cooked in the sugar syrup. But you will enjoy the contrast of the tart cranberries and the sweet, crunchy sugar coating. It is surprisingly delicious and very moreish!

Ingredients needed to make these sparkling cranberries

You need just three basic ingredients to make these candied cranberries! The fourth one i.e. orange zest is completely optional, but I love to include it.

1. Fresh Cranberries
2. Sugar
3. Water
4. Orange zest

How to make candied cranberries – Step by step process

Step 1: Simple syrup

Combine 1/2cup each sugar and water in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Cook until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a simmer, about 3 to 4 minutes. ( Photos 1 to 4 )

Add 1/2 tablespoon of orange zest and mix well. Switch off the heat. Set aside until it turns lukewarm. Check for the consistency of the syrup. It should be slightly thick and sticky. ( Photos 5 and 6 )

Step 2: Add fresh cranberries to the syrup

Add the cranberries to the saucepan, stir to coat evenly with the syrup. Steep for 10 to 15 minutes. At this stage, you can proceed to the next step or you can let the syrup come to room temperature. Cover the saucepan and refrigerate overnight. ( Photos 7 to 9 )

Step 3: Strain the cranberries and allow them to dry

Line a baking tray with parchment paper. ( Photo 10 )

Strain the cranberries, transfer them to the prepared baking tray in a single layer. ( Photos 11 to 13 )

Allow it to dry for 30-45 minutes or up to an hour if it is humid where you live.

Step 4: Toss in sugar

Place 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a shallow bowl or tray. Line another baking tray with parchment paper and set it aside. Toss a few cranberries in the sugar at a time and transfer them to the prepared tray. ( Photos 14 and 15 )

Repeat until the rest of the cranberries are coated. Let stand for an hour or until dry. ( Photo 16 )

Storage suggestions

Store sugared cranberries in an airtight container for up to two days at room temperature.

You can also refrigerate them in an airtight container for three days.

Depending on the freshness of the cranberries, they might start to ‘weep’ and turn slightly soft. If you see that happening, then simply roll them again in sugar to get that even crunchy sugar coating.

If they have turned too soft for your liking, cook it down with a little more sugar to make a quick jam or sauce.

I do not suggest freezing sugared cranberries. The sugar coating will dissolve as the cranberries thaw. You can freeze them only if you intend to eat them as a frozen snack.

It is best to make as much as you need instead of making a big batch. I made a small batch using just 1 cup of cranberries since I needed it to garnish my cranberry orange loaf.

Variations

Vanilla: You can infuse the simple syrup with vanilla pods or vanilla extract. Or coat the cranberries with vanilla sugar.

Sugared cranberries and rosemary: Throw in a few sprigs of rosemary along with the cranberries in the simple syrup. Follow the same process to make candied rosemary.

Ways to use sugared cranberries

• Skewer some sugared cranberries onto a toothpick or cocktail picks and use them to garnish your cocktails/mocktails.
• As a topping for frozen treats, tarts, and cakes, from loaf cakes, quick breads, cupcakes, bundt cakes, to cheesecakes! These sugared cranberries will definitely add a gourmet touch to your baked goods.
• A fun addition to your holiday charcuterie board.
• Garnish your Holiday meals or sides with sugared cranberries to make it look more festive.
• Simply enjoy it as a snack!

Recipe Tips

Rinse, pick, and dry the cranberries: Rinse the cranberries well. Pick out the ones that are bruised or soft. Pat dry with a clean kitchen napkin. They should be dry before adding them to the syrup or the syrup will get diluted with the extra water. The cranberries won’t get as sticky and the sugar won’t stick well.

Best sugar for sugared cranberries: Granulated sugar is the best for this recipe. I’ve also had good results using castor sugar/superfine sugar.

Consistency of the syrup: Do not overcook the syrup. It will turn too thick and crystallize leaving a white layer on the cranberries.

Do not cook cranberries in the syrup: Do not cook the cranberries in the simple syrup or they will burst open. We just need to coat them with syrup in order to make them sticky.

Drying time for cranberries coated in simple syrup: My cranberries had dried up in about 35 minutes, they were not wet but sticky. If it is humid where you live, it will take longer to dry.

Don’t discard the sugar syrup and leftover sugar crystals: Strain the syrup and use it to sweeten drinks, knead it with wheat flour to make sweet paratha’s, sooji halwa, or even brush it on cake layers to add moisture. Leftover sugar can be used in desserts or to sweeten hot tea/coffee.

Don’t dump the entire batch in sugar: The cranberries are sticky and dumping the entire batch will cause the sugar to turn clumpy. Coat the cranberries in batches or change the bowl with fresh sugar.

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Candied Cranberries | Sugared Cranberries

Ingredients1x2x3x

• 1 cup cranberries rinsed, picked, and dried
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar or as required for coating

Simple syrup

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon orange zest, optional

Instructions

• Combine sugar and water in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Cook until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a simmer, about 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add the orange zest and mix well. Switch off the heat. Set aside until it turns lukewarm. Check for the consistency of the syrup. It should be slightly thick and sticky.
• Add the cranberries to the saucepan, stir to coat evenly with the syrup. Steep for 10 to 15 minutes. At this stage, you can proceed to the next step or you can let the syrup come to room temperature. Cover the saucepan and refrigerate overnight.
• Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Strain the cranberries, transfer them to the prepared baking tray in a single layer.
• Allow it to dry for 30-45 minutes or up to an hour if it is humid where you live.
• Place granulated sugar in a shallow bowl or tray. Line another baking tray with parchment paper and set it aside. Toss a few cranberries in the sugar at a time and transfer them to the prepared tray.
• Repeat until the rest of the cranberries are coated. Let stand for an hour or until dry.

Video