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Orange & Cranberry Loaf Cake

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This Orange & Cranberry Loaf Cake has the delicious flavours of winter in the form of a moist cake topped with a tasty drizzle. It is perfect for any gathering, especially over the Christmas period. 

Orange & Cranberry Loaf Cake – the flavours of winter

When autumn is nearing it’s end and you’ve had your fill of Spiced Pumpkin Cakes; it is time for delicious winter and festive flavours.

I say winter flavours, but this Orange & Cranberry Loaf cake should not only be made during the build up to Christmas! It can definitely be made at any time of year and will be delicious.

Although the flavours of orange and cranberry are often associated with Christmas, to me they remind me of winter as a whole. Especially with the subtle taste of cinnamon.

Are you a fan of loaf cakes?

I love a loaf cake. They’re so simple to make and don’t need a lot of fiddling with once they have been baked to make them look pretty.

My love of loaf cakes could also have something to do with my lack of affection towards buttercream. Yes, I said it. I’m not a fan of buttercream! 

All this cake needs is a super simple drizzle. I do also like to sprinkle it with a few extra cranberries and orange zest to finish it to perfection.

Why soak the cranberries?

This step helps plump up the cranberries and make them juicier than in their original dried state.

It is also a great way to get more orange flavour into the cake as the cranberries absorb some of the orange juice as they are soaking.

Soaking the cranberries also infuses the orange juice with some extra sweetness from the cranberries. And the orange juice not absorbed by the cranberries is used for the drizzle.

Can i use fresh or frozen cranberries instead?

If you can’t find dried cranberries or would prefer not to use them, you can use fresh or frozen cranberries instead.

You wouldn’t need to soak fresh or frozen cranberries because they are already plump; so you can just skip this step.

I would suggest using 50-60g if you are using fresh or frozen cranberries instead of dried. If you are using frozen cranberries, you don’t need to defrost them.

why use yogurt in this cake?

I love using yogurt in cake recipes. It gives the cake a more dense texture but also provides a great flavour and moistness.

A traditional sponge recipe like my Vanilla Cupcakes is light and fluffy, whereas a yogurt based sponge has a closer texture, but is really delicious.

I think yogurt works particularly well in this cake because it keeps this cake moist.

Margarine or butter?

You can use either margarine or butter to make this Orange & Cranberry Cake. Both will work just as well so it is down to personal preference.

I tend to use margarine because you can use it straight from the fridge as it is quite soft. If you do prefer to use butter, you really do need to make sure it is softened before starting to make the cake. When it is softened, it mixes so much easier and faster with the sugar.

If the butter is still a bit cold, it will take a lot longer to cream with the sugar and you could end up with lumps of butter.

Drizzles are fantastic!

I love a drizzle. It probably has something to do with the fact I’m not keen on buttercream, but I do love a drizzle.

Drizzles are so quick and easy to make. You literally just need a bowl and a spoon. What could be easier?

They are also lighter than buttercream so it doesn’t make the cake too sweet.

When making the drizzle you may not need to use all of the orange juice. Add a little at a time until you get to a consistency that is thin enough to drizzle but not too thin that it won’t hold it’s shape.

If you do add too much orange juice, just add a spoonful more icing sugar to thicken it up again.

Can I use a different tin?

If you don’t want to use a 2lb/900g loaf tin you can use different tins.

A really nice idea would be to make two mini loaves in 1lb/450g loaf tins. These would make lovely gifts for people.

You could also use an eight inch round cake tin instead. That would work just as well.

The 1lb cake tins and the eight inch tin would cook quicker than the recipe states below so check it after 20-25 minutes.

How many people will this cake serve?

That really depends how big you cut the slices!

I always say that loaf cakes will easily feed 12 people. But if people want a thicker slice then obviously it will be a little less.

How long will this cake keep for?

This Orange & Cranberry Loaf Cake will keep for 3-4 days in an airtight container.

It can also be frozen without the drizzle if you would like to eat it at a later date. Just make sure you wrap it thoroughly and eat it within three months of freezing it.

When you are ready to eat it, let the cake defrost fully at room temperature before adding the drizzle.

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5 from 15 votes
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Orange & Cranberry Loaf Cake

This Orange & Cranberry Loaf Cake has the delicious flavours of Winter in the form of a moist cake topped with a tasty drizzle. It is perfect for any gathering, especially over the Christmas period. 

Course Cake
Cuisine British
Keyword Loaf Cake, Drizzle, Cranberry, Orange
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 12
Calories 359 kcal
Author Curly

Ingredients

  • 100 g dried cranberries
  • 100 ml orange juice approx 1 orange
  • 225 g margarine
  • 200 g caster sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 250 g plain flour
  • 1½ tsp baking powder
  • pinch of salt
  • ¼ tsp cinnamon ground
  • 1 orange zest
  • 120 g fat free yogurt

For the drizzle

  • 100 g icing sugar
  • 2 tbsp orange juice from the soaked cranberries
  • 2 tbsp dried cranberries
  • zest orange

Instructions

  1. Add 100g dried cranberries to a bowl with 100ml orange juice. Cover and allow to soak for one hour 

  2. Preheat the oven to 170ºC (fan assisted 190ºC non fan) and line a 2lb loaf tin 

  3. Cream 225g margarine and 200g caster sugar together for a couple of minutes until pale and fluffy

  4. Add in 3 eggs one at a time mixing after each addition 

  5. Add in 250g plain flour, 1½ tsp baking powder, a pinch of salt, ¼ tsp cinnamon and zest of 1 orange and mix until completed combined

  6. Add in 120g yogurt and the soaked cranberries reserving the juice they have been soaking in. Mix until just combined 

  7. Pour the cake mix into the lined tin and level. Bake in the oven for 55-60 minutes until golden brown and a cocktail stick comes out clean

  8. Allow to cool in the tin for 15 minutes or so before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely 

  9. Once the cake is completely cool, make the drizzle by mixing 2 tbsp orange juice that the cranberries were soaked in and 100g icing sugar

  10. Drizzle across the cake and sprinkle with orange zest and 2 tbsp dried cranberries

Recipe Notes

You want the drizzle to be thin enough to actually drizzle but not too thin so it runs off the cake. Add more juice to thin it or a touch more icing sugar to thicken if needed. 

Nutritional information is given as a guide only.

Nutrition Facts
Orange & Cranberry Loaf Cake
Amount Per Serving
Calories 359 Calories from Fat 144
% Daily Value*
Fat 16g25%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 41mg14%
Sodium 201mg9%
Potassium 165mg5%
Carbohydrates 50g17%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 31g34%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 765IU15%
Vitamin C 9.5mg12%
Calcium 66mg7%
Iron 1.2mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Reader Interactions

Comments

    • Curly says

      Not specifically a benefit, but I’ve heard people struggling to find fresh cranberries in their local supermarkets. Dried cranberries are more readily available and probably cheaper I can imagine which hopefully means more people will be able to give this recipe a try 🙂

      Reply

  2. Jane Saunders says

    5 stars
    I do love buttercream, but the older I get, the more I’m also enjoying loaf cakes like this with their much simpler icing. (All the cake for me, please). I think my husband, in particular, would adore this cake – I might just knock it up for him as a surprise this weekend.

    Reply

  4. jacqui Bellefontaine says

    5 stars
    OMG I so want to make this. I make an orange loaf cake that I love. I also love cranberries so I just know this is going to be delicious. Im pinning for later . as soon as i get a chance i shall be making this!

    Reply

  9. Susan says

    5 stars
    Lovely cake. Just the sort I like without buttercream and loaf cakes are also my go to. So much easier to cut into.

    P.S. it’s July but who cares!

    Reply

    • Curly says

      Thanks Susan 🙂 I love a loaf cake too! And there is absolutely nothing wrong with making this cake at any time of year. Glad you liked it.

      Reply

  12. Mandy says

    Hi there. This looks lovely. I am going to try making it today. I notice the loaf looks quite dark in the photo (without the drizzle) is it hard on the top please? I don’t really want a crust if possible. Thanks.

    Reply

    • Curly says

      Hi Mandy, I think some of that has to do with the lighting. It doesn’t have a crust, but if you are worried, you can loosely cover the cake with foil when it gets to the colour you like. As ovens can very I would check the cake around 45/50 minutes to see if it is baked but it might need a little longer if you have covered with foil. I hope you enjoy it 🙂

      Reply

      • Mandy says

        5 stars
        Thanks for your reply. I have made this twice since my first message. I followed your recipe exactly and it was excellent both times. (Not too dark at all) I candied some orange peel and decorated along the centre line with this and some dried cranberries. So refreshing when an online recipe works perfectly. Thanks so much.
        Happy Christmas

        Reply

  13. Indiana says

    Hey Cat,
    Thanks for sharing this recipe. I will need to try it out. But actually I was looking for a zucchini loaf recipe, because a couple of years ago I bought one in a small café and since then I want to bake it myself. But I haven’t found a recipe yet, that satisfies me. Do you think you can share one so I can try it out? Your recipes are so delicious, so I think you will nail it. Thank you 😉

    Reply

  14. Ratna says

    Hi baked d cake but even after 45 mins it was undercooked. I added yogurt after mixing in d eggs , just before adding d flour n in end i folded it with soaked cranberries. My loaf tin is almost 9,5 inch . Where did i go wrong. Ends were perfectly baked and so tum but the rest was undercooked.
    Pls help

    Reply

    • Curly says

      Hi Ratna, sorry to hear it wasn’t cooked all the way through. I don’t know what a 9.5 inch tin is I’m afraid, is it a 2lb tin? If it is a different size to this it will definitely affect the cooking time. If it starts getting cooked in one place but not the other I would cover it loosely with foil.

      Reply

  15. Emily says

    5 stars
    Loved this ! I used fresh cranberries (therefore no need to do the soak bit) and it came out a dream! It did go quite dark on top at around the 40 min mark, so I covered it with foil and lowered the temp a bit. But my conventional oven does seem to run hot.
    Will be saving this recipe as a Christmas bake favourite.

    Reply

  16. Lynn says

    5 stars
    Thank you so much for this recipe. I made it at Christmas 2023. It went down so well!
    Now it’s March 2024, and I managed to get hold of some blood oranges! This afternoon, I intend to make the loaf using these.
    I can’t wait to see their beautiful colour and taste their unique raspberry tang. It should complement the cranberries so well!

    Reply

  19. Sue says

    5 stars
    Just want to say thank you, Curly. We all loved this. It tastes of Christmas but not over rich, heavy and sweet like traditional Christmas cake. I will be making this forever.

    Reply
5 from 15 votes

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