Description
This Pumpkin Cranberry Loaf is a moist and flavorful bread perfect for fall and holiday seasons. Made with pure pumpkin puree, fresh cranberries, and warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, this loaf combines sweet and tart notes in every bite. The easy-to-follow recipe yields a tender, fluffy loaf that’s ideal for breakfast, snacks, or dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 8 ounces (227 g) pumpkin puree, 100% pure, no added spices
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil, neutral flavor (e.g., canola or light olive oil)
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) orange juice
- 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
Dry Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda, fresh
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 pinch ground ginger
Add-ins
- 2 cups (about 200 g) fresh cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat Your Oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C). This temperature helps the loaf rise evenly and bake fully.
- Prepare Your Loaf Pan: Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan with baking spray or butter. Optionally, line with parchment paper for easier removal and lightly dust with flour to prevent sticking.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, eggs, vegetable oil, orange juice, and granulated sugar until smooth and fully combined. This mixture forms the moist base for your loaf.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and ground ginger until well blended to ensure even distribution.
- Fold Ingredients Together: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently stir just until combined. Avoid overmixing to prevent a dense loaf. Stop mixing about 3 minutes after adding the dry ingredients.
- Add Cranberries: Fold in the fresh cranberries gently, distributing evenly without breaking them. If fresh cranberries tend to sink, fold them in last and gently, about 5 minutes before baking, to avoid clumping.
- Bake Your Loaf: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes at 350°F (175°C). To check doneness, insert a toothpick; it should come out clean. If the top browns too quickly, loosely cover with aluminum foil after 30 minutes of baking.
- Cool Before Serving: Remove the loaf from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for 5 minutes. This helps the loaf set and prevents breaking when removing from the pan. Then, remove from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Using fresh cranberries adds a nice tart burst, but dried cranberries can be used if fresh are unavailable.
- Do not overmix the batter to keep the loaf light and tender.
- If the loaf top browns too quickly, tent with foil to prevent burning while the inside finishes baking.
- Allow the loaf to cool before slicing for clean slices and to preserve texture.
- Can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerated for up to a week.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
