Treat for Morning, Noon or Night

Continuing with my cranberry craze — using dried or frozen cranberries as fresh are out of season — I stumbled upon a yummy cranberry orange bread a couple months back. I love to spend leisure time chilling out and scrolling through recipes. Knowing I was giving myself a cranberry challenge to find more recipes where I could keep using a fruit I love in all its different forms, I was on the hunt for an easy-to-make bread that could work in any season.

While the recipe I found advertised itself as perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas, after taste-testing it with neighbors, and of course Mike and me, I can confidently say: this is a yummy treat morning, noon or night and any time of the year. As one of my neighbors said “It perfectly complements my black coffee in the morning!” Mike and I enjoy a slice with tea. And I even featured it in a small birthday drop-off gift for my dear friend Elaine.

Easy-to-make with ingredients that are typically in one’s pantry and fridge, in less than one hour including prep, the bread batter is ready to pop in the oven for baking. Thanks to Dinner then Dessert for the foundational recipe!

Cranberry Orange Bread

Time:

45 mins —1 hour prep including soaking cranberries

15-20 minutes mixing

1 hour baking

Ingredients

1 cup dried sweetened cranberries
1 cup fresh squeezed orange juice (typically 2-3 oranges)
2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1+ orange , zested (I love the orange flavor so I typically zest 1 orange plus a part of another)
Option: a handful of white chocolate chips. If you do add these, they tend to increase the moistness and sweetness of the cake, but this cake is moist and sweet enough without them. Consider them if you want a hint of extra sweetness or if you really like white chocolate.

Ingredient Prep

Recipe Instructions:

Soak the cranberries in the orange juice in a small bowl — 20 minutes or more.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9x5 loaf pan with baking spray.
Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a large bowl, whisk together vegetable oil, egg and soaked cranberries, orange juice and orange zest until well combined.
Whisk in the dry ingredients until just combined. If you plan to add white chocolate chips, mix them in at the end.
Pour into greased loaf pan.
Bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool for 15 minutes before removing from loaf pan.

Makes a perfect drop-off birthday treat for a friend

If you want to sweeten up further, throw in a handful of white chocolate chips!

Yummy treat year-round morning, noon or night!

Wishing you many baking and eating moments that make you a Happy Boolo!

Treat for Morning, Noon or Night

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