Smitten Kitchen has published its first cranberry bread recipe, ending what the site describes as a 15-year gap and a search through roughly 1,300 archived recipes without a version of the late-fall quickbread. The recipe combines two cups of halved fresh or frozen cranberries with orange zest and pecans in a single loaf.
The site frames the recipe as an attempt to use up a seasonal surplus of cranberries, oranges and pecans, then acknowledges that testing required buying more of all three. The final loaf was made four more times after the first, according to the post.
What Goes Into the Loaf
The ingredient list calls for 3/4 cup (85 grams) pecans, 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar, the zest and juice of two medium-to-large oranges, 6 tablespoons (85 grams) melted unsalted butter, 1/2 to 2/3 cup (120 to 160 grams) sour cream or plain yogurt, one large egg, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 2 cups (8 ounces or 225 grams) halved cranberries and 2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour, finished with about 1 1/2 tablespoons pearl sugar.
The method calls for rubbing orange zest into the sugar by hand before whisking in the butter, egg and an orange juice-sour cream mixture. The cranberries and pecans are folded in before the flour, which is stirred only until it disappears. The batter goes into an 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch or 6-cup loaf pan and bakes for 60 to 70 minutes, rotating once, until a toothpick comes out batter-free.
Why the Cranberries and Pecans Matter
The post says the two cups of halved cranberries stay evenly distributed through the cake and describes them as bright red ornaments in the crumb. It also marks a shift for the author, who writes that she had previously avoided nuts in soft cakes because the crunch felt like an interruption.
Toasting the pecans first is offered as an option. The bread is described as having a crisp exterior, a soft interior that is not too sweet, and the scent of orange zest.
Storage guidance is specific: the loaf keeps five to six days at room temperature. The post recommends leaving it in the pan and covering only the cut side with foil so the sides stay moist and the top stays crisp. Total time is listed as 15 minutes of prep and 70 minutes of baking, yielding 8 to 10 servings.
The post also notes a separate Smitten Kitchen YouTube series on pie, with new episodes planned weekly on Wednesdays at 12 p.m. EST through the end of the year.
Editorial Notes