Vegan Orange Cranberry Bread is the perfect recipe for winter baking! Full of warming spices, a dense and moist texture with a sweet and tart flavor combo. Whipped together in just one bowl. Minimal ingredients needed. All vegan. Gluten-free option available.
HAPPY NEW YEAR! It's so exciting to be writing the VERY FRIST post of 2022! It's been such a crazy ride in 2021, but I am so excited for the goodness to follow this year! Per usual, I'll be bringing on all the delicious recipes on Orchids + Sweet Tea and since we're officially in Veganuary----I wanted the first recipe to be something vegan. This Vegan Orange Cranberry Bread is truly for the books!
Unlike the previous years, this year I don't have any personal resolutions---just goals that I've brainstormed and made actionable plans to attack. Besides that---I'm so happy to be doing this with you guys for another year and truly am so grateful for all of your support. Every comment, rating, share, and social media shout-out hasn't gone unnoticed and I couldn't be sitting in more gratitude. So, THANK YOU!!
How to Make Vegan Orange Cranberry Bread
To make this Vegan Orange Cranberry Bread, there are two components to this baking recipe: the bread batter and the glaze.
All of the ingredients are easy to find, and you may already have them on hand! You can throw this bread together in about an hour, with just 10 minutes of hands-on time.
Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make the dairy-free and egg-free bread dough:
Flour. I use organic all-purpose from Bob’s Red Mill or Kind Arthur.
Bread flour. this gives more structure to your bread. If you can’t find it, use regular all-purpose flour.
Cranberries. You can use either fresh or frozen whole cranberries.
Baking powder and baking soda
Brown sugar. Use organic if possible.
Cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice. The classic fall spices.
Almond milk. Any vegan milk will work, but usually Almond or coconut are best "universal" milks for better results.
Apple cider vinegar. To add some acid that will help the baking powder activate.
Vegan butter. This helps bind the egg-free bread together.
Orange zest. This helps bring out the orange flavor boldly in addition to the glaze.
Vanilla. Make sure to use the pure stuff!
Serving Suggestions
You can serve this bread when it’s still a bit warm. Add a pat of butter for extra flavor and moisture. If you’re serving the bread for breakfast, enjoy this with a cup of my Iced Maple Cinnamon Oat Latte or Iced Chai Latte.
Storage
Store leftover Vegan Orange Cranberry Bread in an airtight container or tightly wrapped in plastic wrap in the fridge for up to three days. You can freeze the bread for up to three months. To serve, defrost on the counter, then slice and serve at room temperature or heat in the microwave for 10 seconds.
Gluten Free Orange Cranberry Bread
This bread is already vegan, but it’s easy to make gluten-free too! Simply use Gluten-Free all-purpose flour (I like the blend from Bob’s Red Mill) to replace the regular flour. If the batter is too thin, add more flour, ¼ cup at a time, until it’s thick.
Absolutely! In case you're looking for a grab-n-go kind of sweet treat, then look no further----I have these Vegan Orange Cranberry Breakfast Muffins just for you! Although these muffins have a crumble, I would definitely add the glaze atop the crumble for an extra kick of goodness! A real win, WIN!
MADE OUR RECIPE?!
If you make this Vegan Orange Cranberry Bread, let me know what you think! Tag @orchidsnsweettea_ on Instagram and hashtag it #orchidsandsweettea
½cupwhole cranberries, fresh or frozen(See Notes!)
2tspsbaking powder
½teaspoonbaking soda
¾cuporganic brown sugar
1tablespoonground cinnamon
½teaspoonground nutmeg
¼teaspoonground allspice
½teaspoonsea salt
1teaspoonorange zest
1cupAlmond milk(You can use your fave plant-based milk)
1tablespoonapple cider vinegar
¼cupvegan butter, melted
1teaspoonvanilla extract
ORANGE GLAZE:
2cupsorganic powdered sugar
1mediumnavel orange, freshly-squeezed
Instructions
TO MAKE THE BREAD:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line a loaf pan with parchment paper and lightly grease it using vegan butter or coconut oil.
In a bowl, add the milk and apple cider vinegar, stirring it together and letting the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes or until it slightly thickens and everything "activates".
In a large bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, brown sugar, orange zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and sea salt and whisk until combined.
Stir in the milk-ACV mixture, melted butter, and vanilla, mixing until combined and the batter become thick and smooth. NOTE: DO NOT OVER-MIX! Fold in the cranberries.
Pour batter in the prepared loaf pan (evenly spreading it out) and add a few extra cranberries on top (gently pressing them in) if you'd like!
Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick or knife that is inserted in the middle comes out clean. NOTE: Midway, I like to poke VERY SMALL holes all over the bread to allow heat to penetrate through and to ensure it cooks through.
Once done, remove bread from oven and let it cool for 10-15 minutes before gently removing it from loaf pan to cool completely.
TO MAKE THE GLAZE:
In a bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and freshly-squeezed orange juice until smooth and the glaze is thick enough, but slowly slides off whisk when lifted. NOTE: If too thick, add 1 tablespoon of milk; if too thin, add 1-2 Tbsps more of the powdered sugar.
Once cooled, drizzle the glaze atop bread, slice and enjoy!
Bon Appetit!
Tips & Tricks
STORAGE: Refrigerate leftover bread by tightly wrapping it in foil paper or keeping it fully covered in a cake stand—lasts up to a week. Can also be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.
GLUTEN-FREE VERSION: To make this bread GF, I recommend using a GF Flour Blend (Bob’s Red Mills has a great version!). **NOTE: If the bread mixture is too ‘thin + runny’, simply add additional GF flour, ¼ cup at a time.**
MILK: You can use any plant-based milk for this recipe. I love using Califia Farm’s Almond Vanilla or Oats + Roasted Almonds Milk or So Delicious Dairy-Free’s Almond Milk, however, you can use Soy, regular Almond, Macadamia, Coconut, etc.
CRANBERRIES: If using frozen cranberries, be sure to lightly toss them in 1 tablespoon or so in arrowroot starch or flour before folding them into the batter. This controls the moisture while cooking and ensures that muffins bake thoroughly through.
Oh my gosh, this bread is fantastic! I had some frozen cranberries leftover from Christmas, and wanted to use them up. This recipe fit the bill! The bread is so very moist and tender. I left off the glaze, and it was still delicious and perfectly sweetened. I also added extra orange zest to make up for the orange flavor that would have been in the glaze. I still have some cranberries left, and this recipe is going on next week’s menu as well! Thanks, Shanika!
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Oh my gosh, this bread is fantastic! I had some frozen cranberries leftover from Christmas, and wanted to use them up. This recipe fit the bill! The bread is so very moist and tender. I left off the glaze, and it was still delicious and perfectly sweetened. I also added extra orange zest to make up for the orange flavor that would have been in the glaze. I still have some cranberries left, and this recipe is going on next week’s menu as well! Thanks, Shanika!