This recipe is super delicious and flavourful, it is perfect for the holidays. In a mixing bowl, add all-purpose flour and a teaspoon of fine salt, whisk those ingredients together and set that aside. Grate two tablespoons of orange zest and you need half a cup of orange juice as well. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add two sticks of room temparature butter together with sugar then cream the butter and sugar on high speed until nice and creamy, add the orange zest and four eggs one at a time and beat the eggs in until well mixer before adding another.
Add the flour mixture alternating with the milk and orange juice in three additions and mix everything on low speed. when your battery is fully combined add one and a half cups of chopped dried cranberries beat it in to combine and you are ready to go. You can bake this cake in mini loaf pans or a standard loaf pan, pour the batter into the prepared cake pan to three-quarters way full.
Bake the cake in a 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven until the top springs back when lightly touched and a skewer inserted at the centre comes out clean, that should be about 50 to 55 minutes. Once baked, let the cake cool down for a few minutes then turn them over onto a wire rack to cool then make a glaze with confectioners sugar and orange juice.
In a small bowl, add two cups of confectioners sugar and two tablespoons of orange juice, whisk it in until you get a really thick glaze. Spoon the glaze over the cake then let them sit for about an hour to dry then pack them and give them as gifts. You can also make them ahead of time and freeze them for up to three weeks well-wrapped and glaze themm when they have defrosted. This cake is beautiful, smells so orangey, perfect for anytime really.
Ingredients;
- 2 sticks (227 grams) of unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for the pan
- 3 1/2 cups (420 grams) all-purpose flour (spooned and levelled), plus more for pan
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
- 2 tablespoons grated orange zest plus 10 tablespoons orange juice, divided
- 2 cups (400 grams) granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups dried cranberries, chopped
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar for glazing
Instructions;
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 12 2 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch loaf pans. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, mix together milk and 1/2 cup juice.
- In a large bowl, using a mixer beat butter and granulated sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, 8 minutes. Add zest, then eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping down bowl as needed.
- With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk mixture; beat until combined. Fold in cranberries.
- Transfer batter to prepared pans and bake until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out with a few moist crumbs, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool in pans on a wire rack set on a rimmed baking sheet, for 30 minutes. Remove loaves from pans and let cool completely on the rack.
- Whisk confectioners’ sugar and the remaining 2 tablespoons of juice to make the glaze. Drizzle over loaves and let stand until set.
