How To Prepare Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Bread

Quick Gluten Free Cranberry Bread Foodhyme

If there’s one thing that is irresistible with a nice cup of coffee or tea it’s a slice of cranberry bread. Cranberry bread has got to be one of the few quick breads that actually have some great health benefits to it as well.

Cranberries are high in vitamin C and fiber and contain only 45 calories per cup. In terms of antioxidants, cranberries are loaded with this disease-fighting power punch, surpassing nearly every fruit and vegetable.

One cup of whole cranberries has 8,983 total antioxidant packed properties. So if the health benefits alone weren’t enough to entice you into whipping up this gluten free cranberry bread, the ease of the recipe surely will.

Gluten Free Cranberry Bread

Ingredients:

2 cups gluten free flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
½ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. allspice
1 – 2 Tablespoon(s) orange zest
3/4 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed (you’ll have to squeeze real oranges, store-bought will not achieve the right flavor)
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup whole cranberries, fresh or frozen (if your cranberries are frozen, the bread will take a bit longer to bake)
3/4 cup- 1 cup walnuts chopped, optional (add 3/4 to the batter and another 1/4 cup to the top of the bread before it goes into the oven)
Coarse sugar

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease a large loaf pan and set aside.
In a large bowl, sift all the dry ingredients and combine them well with a wire whisk. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix together the orange zest, orange juice, butter, eggs and vanilla.
Add all the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. (Using the whisk to mix incorporates the ingredients quickly and easily.
Gently fold in the cranberries and ¾ cup walnuts, if desired.
Pour all the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
Top with a sprinkling of coarse sugar and the ¼ cup extra walnuts.
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Test with a toothpick to check for doneness.
Note: Your bread may take an additional 5 – 10 minutes, depending on if your cranberries were frozen or not.
Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, and then remove it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Slices of this bread are excellent just plain or with a smear of strawberry cream cheese sandwiched between two pieces. Yum!
Enjoy it!