Vegan Cranberry Orange Bread

This vegan cranberry orange bread is bursting with bright and tart flavors that make for a lovely Fall dessert. It’s a great addition to your Holiday breakfast or brunch table.

This cranberry bread is adapted from my lemon pound cake recipe. Fresh cranberries combined with fresh orange juice keep this bread soft and moist. No yeast is needed!

Ingredient Notes

• Cranberries: both fresh and frozen cranberries can be used. If using frozen cranberries, there is no need to thaw them. 
• Unbleached All-Purpose Flour: adds more structure to the sweet bread than bleached flour.
• Cornstarch: adds some lightness to the loaf.
• Oat Milk: feel free to use soy milk or almond milk instead.
• Vegetable Oil: melted vegan butter can be used as a substitute. I wouldn’t recommend skipping adding fat to the bread as it helps keep it moist. 
• Apple Cider Vinegar: when paired with baking soda, vinegar acts as the perfect leavening agent.
• Grated Orange Zest: place the orange in a bowl with warm water for a few minutes to clean the orange’s skin of any wax before zesting. 
• Confectioner’s Sugar: sift the sugar first to get a smoother glaze. 
• Fresh Orange Juice: this will add a nice boost of orange flavor to the bread’s glaze but you may also use plant-based milk and vanilla. 

How to Make Vegan Cranberry Bread

1. Set an oven rack in the center and preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C. Lightly grease the loaf pan with oil or non-stick cooking spray.
2. Sift the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl, then stir in the sugar. 
3. In a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients together.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients in thirds, mixing after each addition, until the flour is just moistened. 

5. Gently fold in the cranberries, then pour the batter into the greased loaf tin and smooth the top. 

6. Gently tap the loaf tin on the counter three times.
7. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. 
8. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes in the tin, then remove and place on a rack to cool completely for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. 
9. While the cake cools, make the glaze. Mix together the confectioner’s sugar and orange juice in a bowl until smooth.

10. Pour the glaze over the cake and let it set before serving. Enjoy!

Storage Suggestions

Store any leftover cranberry bread in an airtight container. It will last 3 days at room temperature, a week in the fridge, and 2 months if freezing. 

Allow it to thaw overnight in the fridge before eating. Feel free to enjoy the bread cold, or heat it up for a few seconds in the microwave.

Can I use this recipe to make vegan muffins? 

Absolutely! Instead of pouring the batter into a loaf tin, pour it into a muffin tin! Bake the cranberry orange muffins at 350°F for 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. The recipe makes about 8 to 12 muffins.

Want more vegan sweet breads? Try these!

• Banana Bread 
• Jamaican Easter Spice Bun
• Lemon Pound Cake
• Jamaican Fruit Cake

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5 from 3 votes

Vegan Cranberry Orange Bread

This vegan cranberry orange bread is bursting with bright and tart flavors that make for a lovely Fall dessert. It's a great addition to your Holiday breakfast or brunch table.

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Cooling Time2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Total Time3 hours hrs 55 minutes mins

Course: Brunch, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: 8

Calories: 269kcal

Author: Jhanelle Golding

Equipment

• 1-pound Loaf Pan
• Mixing bowls
• Sifter

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1¼ cup granulated cane sugar

Wet Ingredients

• ¼ cup oat milk, (soy or almond milk are alternatives)
• ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• ½ cup fresh orange juice, (from 2 oranges)
• ½ cup vegetable oil, (or melted vegan butter)
• 2 tablespoons grated orange zest, (from 3 oranges)

Add-ins

• 1 ½ cups cranberries, fresh or frozen (not thawed), chopped

Glaze (optional)

• ¾ cup confectioner’s sugar
• 4 teaspoons fresh orange juice, (from ½ orange)

Instructions

• Set an oven rack in the center and preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C. Lightly grease the loaf pan with oil or non-stick cooking spray.
• Sift the cornstarch, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the sugar.
  2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour,3 tablespoons cornstarch,2 teaspoons baking powder,½ teaspoon baking soda,½ teaspoon salt,1¼ cup granulated cane sugar
• In a small bowl, combine the oat milk, vinegar, orange juice, vegan butter or oil and orange zest.
  ¼ cup oat milk,½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar,½ cup fresh orange juice,½ cup vegetable oil,2 tablespoons grated orange zest
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients in thirds, mixing after each addition, until the flour is just moistened. Don’t overmix. Gently fold in the cranberries.
  1 ½ cups cranberries
• Pour the batter into the loaf tin and smooth the top. Gently tap the pan on the counter three times to release air bubbles.
• Bake for 55 to 65 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then transfer it to a rack to cool completely for about 2 to 2½ hours.
• Make the glaze by mixing the confectioner’s sugar and orange juice in a bowl until smooth. Pour it over the cake and allow it to cool or set before serving.
  ¾ cup confectioner’s sugar,4 teaspoons fresh orange juice