Description
These Cranberry Orange Mini Loaves are moist, flavorful quick breads, combining the tartness of fresh cranberries with bright orange zest and juice. Perfect for a holiday breakfast or a sweet snack, these mini loaves are topped with a tangy orange glaze that adds a lovely finishing touch.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon flour (for tossing cranberries)
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange zest
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease or line 4 to 6 mini loaf pans with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together using a mixer until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Then mix in the vanilla extract for flavor.
- Mix in Sour Cream and Orange Zest: Add the sour cream (or Greek yogurt) and fresh orange zest to the bowl. Mix until the batter is smooth and uniform.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening agents and salt.
- Add Dry Ingredients Alternately with Orange Juice: Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients in batches, alternating with the fresh orange juice. Stir gently to combine after each addition, being careful not to overmix to keep the loaves tender.
- Prepare Cranberries: Toss the fresh or frozen cranberries with 1 teaspoon of flour to prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the loaves during baking. Fold the cranberries gently into the batter.
- Fill Mini Loaf Pans: Divide the batter evenly among the prepared mini loaf pans, filling each about three-quarters full. Smooth the tops with a spatula for even baking.
- Bake Loaves: Bake in the preheated oven for 28 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a loaf comes out clean. This ensures the loaves are fully cooked but moist inside.
- Cool in Pans: Remove the pans from the oven and allow the mini loaves to cool for about 10 minutes. Then carefully transfer the loaves to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar with 2 to 3 tablespoons of fresh orange juice until smooth and pourable. Adjust the consistency as needed.
- Glaze and Garnish: Drizzle the orange glaze over the cooled mini loaves. For a decorative finish, sprinkle additional fresh orange zest on top if desired.
Notes
- For a healthier alternative, you can substitute the sour cream with Greek yogurt.
- Use fresh or frozen cranberries; if using frozen, do not thaw before tossing with flour to reduce color bleeding.
- Do not overmix the batter to avoid dense loaves.
- The glaze can be thickened or thinned by adjusting the amount of orange juice.
- Mini loaf pans typically hold around 8 oz of batter each; adjust number of loaves accordingly.
- These loaves keep well stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature.
