Spiced Apple Cranberry Bread Recipe
This Spiced Apple Cranberry Bread combines diced apples, tart cranberries, warm spices, and a light cinnamon-sugar topping for a festive loaf.
8 Servings
Ingredients
Bread:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2/3 cup brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup apple Granny Smith, Gala, or Fuji, diced small
- 1 cup fresh cranberries halved
Topping:
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
Prepare the oven and pan:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.
Mix the dry ingredients:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger. Remove 4 tablespoons of this mixture and set aside to coat the fruit later.
Prepare the wet ingredients:
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, applesauce, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth.
Combine wet and dry mixtures:
- Gradually add the dry mixture into the wet ingredients, stirring gently until the batter is just combined. Avoid overmixing.
Prepare the fruit:
- In a small bowl, toss the diced apples and halved cranberries with lemon juice and the reserved flour mixture until evenly coated.
Fold in the fruit:
- Gently fold the apple and cranberry mixture into the batter until distributed evenly.
Bake:
- Transfer the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Smooth the surface and bake for 40–55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool and finish:
- Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, sift together the powdered sugar and cinnamon, then dust evenly over the loaf before serving.
Notes
To prepare a gluten-free version of this bread, substitute the all-purpose flour with a certified gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. Ensure the baking soda and powdered sugar are also verified gluten-free.