This Instant Pot Chicken Wild Rice Soup is packed with vegetables, mushrooms, herbs, tender chicken pieces, and chewy wild rice. You will love the Instant Pot version of this cozy chicken wild rice soup as it is an easy and fuss-free one-pot recipe.
The weather right now is just perfect to slurp on a warm bowl of soup. While I enjoy making my Instant Pot chicken noodle soup often, I love switching it up at times. This Instant Pot chicken wild rice soup is a richer version and is one of our absolute favorites at home.
My homemade version is inspired by Panera’s wild rice chicken soup and it is packed with rustic, earthy, and savory flavors and textures! Making wild rice soup in the Instant Pot is super easy and requires very basic prep work.
The only preparation you need to do is dicing the vegetables. To make it even easier, skip the chopping part and pick up readymade mirepoix from the grocery store.
- Ingredients needed
- Why you will love this recipe?
- How To Make Instant Pot Chicken Wild Rice Soup – Step by step process
- Serving suggestions
- Storage suggestions
- Recipe tips and variations…
- Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
- More creamy Instant Pot Soup recipes
- Instant Pot Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Ingredients needed
To make this Instant Pot creamy chicken wild rice soup, you will need;
Wild rice: Be sure to use 100 % wild rice and not the wild rice blend or quick-cooking wild rice for this recipe. The soup will have a different texture if you use white rice. Wild rice is easily available in stores like Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, etc. If you can’t find them in stores, you will get them online.
Chicken: I’ve used a mix of bone-in chicken thighs and boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. You can use whatever you prefer.
Mushrooms: Feel free to use your favorite variety of mushrooms. I’ve used button mushrooms for this recipe.
Cooking fat: I’ve used olive oil. You can also use butter plus olive oil.
Mirepoix: Equal parts onion, carrots, and celery. I’ve used red onions because that is what I had in my pantry. You can also use white or yellow onions. Keep the carrots a little chunky, or they will turn too mushy due to the long pressure cooking time.
Garlic: To amp up the flavor. Try and use freshly minced garlic.
Herbs: I’ve used a mix of dried herbs and some freshly chopped parsley to finish off the soup.
Stock: I’ve used better than bouillon to make the stock. If you’re watching your salt intake, stick to low-sodium chicken stock.
Cornstarch: To thicken the soup.
Heavy cream: Adds body and richness to the soup and gives it a nice mouthfeel.
Baby spinach: To add some extra nutrients and greens to the soup! Feel free to use collard greens, baby kale, or your favorite greens.
Lemon juice: Just a tad bit, in the end, it really elevates the flavor of the soup.
Other ingredients: Bay leaves and ground nutmeg.
Why you will love this recipe?
✓ Really easy to put together
✓ One-pot recipe
✓ Absolutely comforting
✓ Wholesome and hearty
✓ Easily adaptable
✓ Great for chilly fall and winter nights
✓ Leftovers are delicious
How To Make Instant Pot Chicken Wild Rice Soup – Step by step process
Step 1: Saute mirepoix, garlic, and seasoning mix
Press the ‘SAUTE’ button, wait until it displays ‘HOT’. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and let it heat up for a few seconds. Add 1 cup each of diced onions, carrots, celery, sauté for 2-3 minutes, or until the onions are translucent. ( Photos 1 to 4 )
Add 2 tablespoons of minced garlic, sauté until aromatic. ( Photos 5 and 6 )
Next, add seasoning mix (1/2 teaspoon each of dried thyme, dried rosemary, dried rubbed sage, tarragon, black pepper, smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon dried basil, and 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste). Saute for another 30 seconds. ( Photos 7 and 8 )
Make sure you don’t have any browned bits stuck at the bottom of the pot to avoid a potential ‘BURN’ error. If you do, deglaze it with 1/4 cup of stock.
Step 2: Add mushrooms, wild rice, stock, chicken, and pressure cook
Press ‘CANCEL’, add 8 oz of sliced mushrooms, rinsed wild rice (3/4 cup), and 5 cups of stock. ( Photos 9 to 11 )
Place 1.5 pounds of chicken breasts and thighs in the pot, make sure they are submerged under the stock. Throw in 2 bay leaves. ( Photos 12 and 13 )
Note: If you plan on serving the soup right away, 5 cups of stock is just right. But if you plan on having leftovers, use 6 cups of stock or 4 cups of stock + 2 cups of water since the soup thickens considerably in the fridge.
Close the lid of the Instant Pot with the valve set to the ‘SEALING’ position. Press the manual or pressure cook button and pressure cook on high for 30 minutes. It will take some time for the pressure to build up (about 15 mins), after which the timer will start. ( Photos 14 and 15 )
Step 3: Natural pressure release
Once the cooking cycle is complete, let it depressurize for at least 10 minutes.
Then do a quick release of leftover pressure following the manufacturer’s instructions.
Once the float valve (silver pin) drops, open the lid. Discard the bay leaves.
Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, shred or dice it into small pieces. Set aside. ( Photos 16 to 19 )
Step 4: Thicken the soup
Turn on the ‘SAUTE’ button, bring the soup to a boil, add the cornstarch slurry (2 tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons of cold water), mix well, stirring continuously, until it turns thick. ( Photos 20 and 21 )
Stir in 1 cup of heavy cream, mix well and heat through. ( Photos 22 and 23 )
Step 5: Add remaining ingredients, mix, and serve
Press ‘CANCEL’ to switch off the IP. Add 2 to 3 cups of roughly chopped spinach, stir until it wilts. ( Photos 24 and 25 )
Add the shredded or diced chicken back, 2 tablespoons of freshly chopped parsley, 1/8 teaspoon of ground nutmeg, and 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice, mix well. Check for seasoning, adjust with more salt and pepper if required. Dish out, and serve with homemade crusty artisan bread. ( Photos 26 to 30 )
Serving suggestions
Instant Pot Chicken Wild Rice Soup is filling and great as a standalone dish all by itself.
If you wish to serve it along with some sides, you could serve it with some;
- Crusty artisan bread
- Dinner rolls
- Breadsticks, and/or a salad.
- You could also serve it in bread bowls for a fancy meal.
Storage suggestions
In the fridge: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Transfer the soup into a pot and heat over medium heat, stirring frequently, until heated through. Add some stock or water to thin it out as required.
Freezer: You can also freeze the soup in freezer-safe bags or containers for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Heat as stated above.
Recipe tips and variations…
Add a splash of white wine: Take the soup a notch up with a splash of white wine. Add about 1/4 cup of white wine after sauteing the veggies, and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Cheese: You can also add some grated parmesan cheese after adding the heavy cream, mix until well incorporated. If you have parmesan rinds, throw that in along with the bay leaves. It will add an amazing flavor to the soup.
Heavy cream: Use room temperature cream to avoid it from splitting when added to the soup.
Heat the stock: This is an optional step, but it does help the pot to come to pressure quickly. I dissolve better than the bouillon chicken stock base in hot water.
Seasoning: Add whatever herbs you have at home or feel free to use your favorite seasoning blend. If you have nothing, just salt, and pepper along with fresh or even dried thyme.
Make it a dump-and-go recipe: You can skip sauteing the mirepoix, garlic, and herbs and just dump them in instead. I love sauteing them as it flavors the base layer of the soup instead of making it just one-dimensional. Feel free to make the soup as per your preference.
Is this Instant Pot chicken wild rice soup gluten-free?
Wild rice is naturally gluten-free, so yes, this soup is gluten-free. Just be sure to use gluten-free cornstarch.
Can I use rotisserie chicken for this recipe?
Yes, you can! Add about 3 cups of diced or shredded rotisserie chicken in the last step. The cooking time will stay the same because the wild rice needs that amount of time to cook.
How do you know when wild rice is cooked?
When wild rice is cooked, the kernels split open revealing a white and creamy interior. It should be chewy and tender, not mushy.
Can I make a vegetarian or vegan version of this soup?
Yes, you definitely can. Leave out the chicken and swap the chicken stock with vegetable stock. You can double the mushroom quantity.
You can consider adding 1/4 inch cubes of extra firm tofu just before adding the heavy cream. Let it cook on the ‘SAUTE’ mode for 5 to 10 minutes so that the tofu absorbs all the flavors.
For a vegan version, you can swap the cream with a 13.5 oz can of full-fat coconut milk.
If you don’t like the flavor of coconut milk, you can use cashew cream.
I am not a fan of mushrooms, can I leave them out?
You can also add about 1-2 tablespoons of fish sauce (regular or vegan) to build on the flavor. If using fish sauce, adjust the salt accordingly as it already contains salt.
How do I make a lightened-up version?
Skip the cream and swap it with milk or half and half. You can also use evaporated milk instead. I do not suggest adding just milk, as it won’t lend that required creaminess to the soup. But if you are okay with that, feel free to use just milk.
How many servings does this soup make?
This recipe makes about 10 cups of soup. It should easily feed about 6 adults if you consider about 1.5 cups of soup per serving.
More creamy Instant Pot Soup recipes
Tortellini sausage soup
Chicken Gnocchi soup
Corn chowder
Broccoli cheddar soup
You can also follow me on Facebook , Pinterest, Instagram & Twitter
Instant Pot Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Equipment
- Instant Pot DUO60 6 Qt 7-in-1
Ingredients1x2x3x
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1 cup diced onions
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 8 oz button mushrooms
- 3/4 cup wild rice rinsed
- 5 to 6 cups chicken stock, refer notes
- 1.5 lbs chicken, I’ve used a mix of skinless breasts and thighs
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 to 3 cups roughly chopped baby spinach leaves
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice, or to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Seasoning mix
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
- 1/2 teaspoon tarragon
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Press the ‘SAUTE’ button, wait until it displays ‘HOT’. Add olive oil and let it heat up for a few seconds. Add diced onions, carrots, celery, sauté for 2-3 minutes, or until the onions are translucent.
- Add minced garlic, sauté until aromatic.
- Next, add seasoning mix. Saute for another 30 seconds.
- Make sure you don’t have any browned bits stuck at the bottom of the pot to avoid a potential ‘BURN’ error. If you do, deglaze it with 1/4 cup of stock.
- Press ‘CANCEL’, add mushrooms, rinsed wild rice, and 5 cups stock. Place chicken breasts and thighs in the pot, make sure they are submerged under the stock. Throw in the bay leaves.
- Close the lid of the Instant Pot with the valve set to the ‘SEALING’ position. Press the manual or pressure cook button and pressure cook on high for 30 minutes. It will take some time for the pressure to build up, after which the timer will start.
- Once the cooking cycle is complete, let it depressurize for at least 10 minutes, then do a quick release of leftover pressure following the manufacturer’s instructions. Once the float valve (silver pin) drops, open the lid. Discard the bay leaves. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, shred or dice it into small pieces. Set aside.
- Turn on the ‘SAUTE’ button, bring the soup to a boil, add the cornstarch slurry (2 tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons of cold water), mix well, stirring continuously, until it turns thick.
- Stir in heavy cream, mix well and heat through.
- Press ‘CANCEL’ to switch off the IP. Add roughly chopped spinach, stir until it wilts.
- Add the shredded or diced chicken, freshly chopped parsley, ground nutmeg, and lemon juice, mix well. Check for seasoning, adjust with more salt and pepper if required. Dish out, and serve with homemade crusty artisan bread.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Instant Pot Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Equipment
- Instant Pot DUO60 6 Qt 7-in-1
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1 cup diced onions
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 8 oz button mushrooms
- 3/4 cup wild rice rinsed
- 5 to 6 cups chicken stock, refer notes
- 1.5 lbs chicken, I’ve used a mix of skinless breasts and thighs
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 to 3 cups roughly chopped baby spinach leaves
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice, or to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Seasoning mix
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
- 1/2 teaspoon tarragon
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Press the ‘SAUTE’ button, wait until it displays ‘HOT’. Add olive oil and let it heat up for a few seconds. Add diced onions, carrots, celery, sauté for 2-3 minutes, or until the onions are translucent.
- Add minced garlic, sauté until aromatic.
- Next, add seasoning mix. Saute for another 30 seconds.
- Make sure you don’t have any browned bits stuck at the bottom of the pot to avoid a potential ‘BURN’ error. If you do, deglaze it with 1/4 cup of stock.
- Press ‘CANCEL’, add mushrooms, rinsed wild rice, and 5 cups stock. Place chicken breasts and thighs in the pot, make sure they are submerged under the stock. Throw in the bay leaves.
- Close the lid of the Instant Pot with the valve set to the ‘SEALING’ position. Press the manual or pressure cook button and pressure cook on high for 30 minutes. It will take some time for the pressure to build up, after which the timer will start.
- Once the cooking cycle is complete, let it depressurize for at least 10 minutes, then do a quick release of leftover pressure following the manufacturer’s instructions. Once the float valve (silver pin) drops, open the lid. Discard the bay leaves. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, shred or dice it into small pieces. Set aside.
- Turn on the ‘SAUTE’ button, bring the soup to a boil, add the cornstarch slurry (2 tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons of cold water), mix well, stirring continuously, until it turns thick.
- Stir in heavy cream, mix well and heat through.
- Press ‘CANCEL’ to switch off the IP. Add roughly chopped spinach, stir until it wilts.
- Add the shredded or diced chicken, freshly chopped parsley, ground nutmeg, and lemon juice, mix well. Check for seasoning, adjust with more salt and pepper if required. Dish out, and serve with homemade crusty artisan bread.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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.
You can also follow me on Facebook , Pinterest, Instagram & Twitter
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.
