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Close up view of two slices of cranberry orange loaf cake cut from the larger loaf.

Easy Cranberry Orange Loaf Cake with Orange Glaze

This Cranberry Orange Loaf Cake is moist, tangy, just the right amount of sweet, and bursting with the flavors of winter fruit.
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Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook Time:50 minutes
Total Time:1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Baked Goods, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Easy, holiday, winter
Servings: 9

Equipment

  • 1 9x5 inch loaf pan

Ingredients

Cake

  • 1 cup fresh cranberries + 1 tbsp flour
  • 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled (218g)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
  • Zest of 1 orange (about 1 to 2 tbsp zest)
  • ½ cup butter, melted (113.5g)
  • ⅓ cup orange juice (about 82ml)
  • ⅓ cup sour cream (76g)
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract

Glaze

  • 1 cup powdered sugar (113g)
  • 2 tbsp orange juice
  • ½ tbsp orange zest
  • Pinch of Salt

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray or butter a 9x5 inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang on 2 of the sides.
  • Toss the cranberries with 1 tablespoon of flour.
    1 cup fresh cranberries + 1 tbsp flour
  • Mix the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt) in a bowl and set aside.
    1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled (218g), 1 tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp baking soda, ½ tsp sea salt
  • In a separate large bowl, add the sugar and zest of 1 orange and rub them together with your fingers. This will help infuse the sugar with the orange flavor.
    1 cup granulated sugar (200g), Zest of 1 orange (about 1 to 2 tbsp zest)
  • Mix the melted butter, orange juice, and sour cream with the sugar, then mix in the eggs and vanilla.
    ½ cup butter, melted (113.5g), ⅓ cup orange juice (about 82ml), ⅓ cup sour cream (76g), 2 eggs, 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • Mix in the dry ingredients until just combined, then gently fold the floured cranberries into the cake batter.
    1 cup fresh cranberries + 1 tbsp flour
  • Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. It should fill the pan about ⅔ full and bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean and the middle looks cooked through.
  • Remove the cake from the oven, let it rest for 10 minutes, then gently lift the cake out of the loaf pan and place it on a wire rack or serving dish to cool.
  • While the cake cools, whisk together the glaze ingredients. Pour glaze over the cooled cake. Decorate with sugared cranberries and candied orange slices, if desired.
    1 cup powdered sugar (113g), 2 tbsp orange juice, ½ tbsp orange zest, Pinch of Salt