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    Home » Recipes » Sweet Recipes

    Glazed Cranberry Lemon Loaf

    Oct 26, 2021 | by Jennifer | Last Updated: Dec 1, 2021

    Jump to Recipe

    This delicious cranberry quick bread combines tart cranberries with lovely lemon. Lightly sweet and moist loaf, with a tangy lemon glaze.

    Cranberries and lemon together are a winning flavour combination and a perfect way to celebrate fresh cranberry season!

    That said, cranberries freeze so beautifully, even when it isn't cranberry season, just grab a bag from the freezer and you are all set.

    Perfect for the holiday season or gifts from the kitchen.

    Jump to:
    • Key Ingredients
    • Step-by-Step Photos
    • Cook's Notes
    • Top Tip!
    • Storage and Freezing
    • Recipe
    • More cranberry recipes you might also like ...
    • Save or share this recipe
    • Comments, Questions and Reviews

    Key Ingredients

    Cranberries - It's hard to beat fresh cranberries in this loaf, so if it is fresh cranberry season, those would always be my first choice.

    Cranberries freeze beautifully though, so if you only have frozen cranberries, they would be a great 2nd choice. Simply use from frozen.

    Finally, if you only have dried cranberries, you can use them, though the resulting loaf will be sweeter, with the sweetened dried cranberries.

    Lemon - as you'll need some lemon zest for this loaf, you'll need to start with a fresh lemon. You should get the zest and the juice you need for the glaze from 1 medium-large lemon.

    Step-by-Step Photos

    photo collage of steps to make cranberry lemon loaf

    Cook's Notes

    Room temperature ingredients When you take your butter out of the fridge, take the eggs out, too, so they come to temperature at the same time. If your cranberries are in the fridge, take them out, too.

    Want more lemon flavour? Add additional lemon zest to the batter. Lemon zest is preferable to lemon juice, as you have to add a good amount of juice to get more lemon flavour and the extra liquid in the batter would affect the texture of the loaf. Lemon zest just adds flavour without affecting the liquid content of the batter.

    Planning to skip the glaze? The glaze on this loaf provides a nice bit of extra lemon flavour. If you opt to skip the glaze, you may want to add additional lemon zest to the loaf part.

    Top Tip!

    Baking times will vary! - always remember that baking times will vary from kitchen to kitchen, as ovens vary, pans are different colours and sizes and even the temperature of the batter will make a difference Baking times are guidelines only. I like to set a timer ahead of the suggested time, just to have a look through the window (never open the oven unless you think it's ready to test!). You can usually gauge how things are progressing.

    Watch for the loaf to dome slightly, pull away from the ends of the pan and be lightly golden in colour, then test with a long skewer in the centre of the cake. The skewer should come out clean. Always bake until your loaf gets to that point, no matter what the clock says :) Catching your baking when it is just cooked is the goal, as even a few minutes of over-baking can dry out loaves such as this one.

    Storage and Freezing

    Store the loaf at room temperature in an airtight container, with the cut end wrapped with plastic wrap. It will keep well for a couple of days.

    This loaf will also freeze well, though it is best frozen without the glaze, then glazed fresh when thawed. Keep in the freezer up to 3 months.

    cranberry lemon loaf sliced on cooling rack

    Recipe

    cranberry lemon loaf sliced on cooling rack

    Glazed Cranberry Lemon Loaf

    This delicious cranberry quick bread combines tart cranberries with lovely lemon. Lightly sweet and moist loaf, with a tangy lemon glaze.
    Author: Jennifer
    5 stars from 1 rating
    Print it Pin it + Collection Go to Collections Share by Email
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 55 mins
    Total Time 1 hr 10 mins
    Course Snack
    Servings 12 servings

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp fine salt, reduce to 1/4 tsp if using salted butter
    • 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
    • 1 cup white granulated sugar
    • Zest of 1 lemon, about 1 Tbsp
    • 2 large eggs, 1 at a time, at room temperature
    • 1/2 cup milk, whole milk (3%) recommended
    • 1 cup fresh cranberries, *see Note 1 for using frozen or dried cranberries

    Glaze:

    • 1/2 cup icing/confectioners' sugar
    • 2-3 Tbsp lemon juice
    Prevent screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 325F (regular bake/not fan assisted). Grease an 8x4 or 4x10 loaf pan and line the bottom and long sides with a sheet of parchment paper that extends over the sides by an inch or so (for easy removal). Set aside.
    • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside about 2 tsp of flour to dust the cranberries later.
    • In a large bowl with an electric mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar at medium-low speed, until lightened in colour, about 1-2 minutes. Mix in the lemon zest.
    • Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the bowl as needed.
    • Add the flour mixture, alternately with the milk, mixing until well combined.
    • Toss the cranberries with the reserved 2 tsp of flour, then gently fold the cranberries into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Smooth top of batter.
    • Bake in a preheated 325F for 50-60 minutes, or until lightly golden in colour and a tester comes out clean. (mine took 55 min in light coloured 4x10 loaf pan.
    • Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes, before lifting onto a wire rack using the parchment paper (allow to cool 10 minutes if not using parchment). Peel off parchment and allow to cool completely before drizzling the glaze over-top.
    • To prepare the glaze, combine the icing sugar and lemon juice, adding enough lemon juice until you have a glaze that is just thin enough to pour off a spoon. Drizzle over cooled cake, then let stand 20-30 minutes to allow the glaze to set before slicing.

    Notes

    1. Frozen cranberries will work fine. Use from frozen. Do note that the loaf may take a few extra minutes in the oven to bake thoroughly. Dried cranberries will technically work, though they are obviously sweeter than either fresh or frozen cranberries. You may wish to reduce the sugar in the loaf slightly (by 2-4 Tbsp) to compensate. Don't reduce the sugar too much, or it will affect the texture/moistness of the loaf.
    Be sure to read the Ingredient and Cook's Notes above this Recipe Card, for more tips on making this recipe. You'll also find Step-by-Step photos there, that you might find helpful.

    Nutrition

    Sodium: 115mg | Calcium: 37mg | Vitamin C: 2mg | Vitamin A: 244IU | Sugar: 23g | Fiber: 1g | Potassium: 89mg | Cholesterol: 47mg | Calories: 213kcal | Trans Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Fat: 7g | Protein: 3g | Carbohydrates: 36g | Iron: 1mg

    Nutritional information provided for general guidance only and should not be relied upon to make personal health decisions.

    Course Snack
    Cuisine American, Canadian
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    Save or share this recipe

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    Meet the Author:
    Hi! I'm Jennifer, a home-cook of many years and a lifelong seeker of delicious food! I'm an equal opportunity eater. I enjoy eating all the foods!

    I love to share the classic recipes that I have enjoyed for years, as well as newer discoveries, that have become fast favourites.
    More about me here ...


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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Donna says

      March 12, 2022 at 10:24 am

      What are the extra 2 tbs of flour for. Other than the ingredient list they are not mentioned again.

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        March 12, 2022 at 10:57 am

        Hi Donna and sorry, that is confusing. I think it was referring to the extra flour to dust the cranberries, but then I realized I addressed that flour in the instructions. I have cleaned it all up now, so it should make more sense :) Thanks for the heads up!

        Reply
    2. Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says

      October 26, 2021 at 7:54 pm

      5 stars
      This loaf is just beautiful and so festive!! I’m a sucker for anything glazed and I love that this is so easy to make! Perfect for the holidays or just for an easy weekend baking project (because weekends call for snacking on cakes and such)! Can’t wait to try this!

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        October 26, 2021 at 8:44 pm

        Thanks so much, Cheyanne :) I love baking with cranberries! Always brightens my day.

        Reply

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