Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp fresh orange zest
  • 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 cup (240ml) full-fat buttermilk, room temperature
  • 0.5 cup (115g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 0.25 cup (60ml) freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1.5 cups (150g) fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 1 tbsp all-purpose flour (for coating berries)
  • 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp fresh orange juice (for glaze)

Instructions:

  1. Heat your oven to 350°F and grease a 9x5 loaf pan, lining it with parchment paper for easy lifting later.
  2. Combine 1 cup granulated sugar and 2 tbsp orange zest in your large bowl. Use your fingertips to rub the zest into the sugar until it looks like damp orange sand and smells incredibly fragrant.
  3. Whisk 2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt into the scented sugar until well combined.
  4. In your medium bowl, whisk together the room temperature buttermilk, melted and cooled butter, egg, 0.25 cup orange juice, and vanilla until the mixture is silky and pale yellow.
  5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Use your spatula to gently fold them together until just a few streaks of flour remain. Note: Overmixing will make the bread tough like a biscuit.
  6. Toss 1.5 cups cranberries with the remaining 1 tbsp flour in a small bowl until they are evenly white and dusty.
  7. Gently fold the floured cranberries into the batter. The batter will be thick and heavy.
  8. Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 1 hours (60 minutes) until the top is golden brown and a skewer comes out clean.
  9. Let the bread rest in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift it out onto a wire rack until it is completely cool to the touch.
  10. Whisk 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 tbsp orange juice. Drizzle over the cooled loaf until it drips down the sides in thick, white ribbons.