Cranberry Orange Walnut Loaf

This Cranberry Orange Walnut Loaf Cake is loaded with sweet orange flavor and packed with cranberries and walnuts to create a warming and moist loaf cake.

Simple Cranberry Orange Loaf Cake

This Cranberry Orange Loaf Cake is a quick bread that will hit all the spots. It's sweet from the orange flavor, nutty from the walnuts, and tangy from the cranberries. When combined with the moist batter, it creates a soft and pillowy loaf cake that is overloaded with mixins in the best way possible.

Cranberries and orange are one of my favorite flavor combinations. The tanginess of the cranberries slides in perfectly next to the orange flavor. The orange doesn't use the juice, just the zest in this cake — but don't worry about it being bland. The zesty flavor brings just enough to power it, so it has an even flavor with the walnuts and the cranberries.

This Cranberry Orange Loaf Cake is a great quick bread to keep in your back pocket. It takes just about an hour to bake, and everything can basically be made in one bowl. It's a recipe that also freezes well. When I make this loaf cake, I like to stick a few slices in the freezer, so I can enjoy them whenever I am craving something sweet.

Looking for more loaf cakes? Try my Spiced Orange Olive Oil Cake or Meyer Lemon Pound Cake.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Flavor Combination - With a lot of mix-ins, it seems like something should get lost, but they all balance each other out.
• Freezer Friendly - The consistency of this cake is great for sticking in the freezer.
• Simple - The cake is very simple to make and can pretty much be made all in one bowl.

Ingredients Needed For Cranberry Orange Walnut Loaf

See below for all the details on what you'll need to make the full recipe.

• Cranberries - Use fresh cranberries if you can.
• Orange - You'll need just the zest from the orange.
• Walnuts - You can crush the walnuts into smaller pieces if desired.
• Sour Cream - The dairy helps keep the cake rich and moist.
• Butter - Allow the melted butter to come to room temperature before mixing it with the other ingredients.

Directions For How To Make Cranberry Orange Walnut Loaf

Serving Suggestions

I love to serve this cranberry orange walnut loaf with a cup of tea or coffee. It is the perfect snacking loaf cake to leave out or serve for a brunch dessert.

Make Ahead and Storage

• Make Ahead: Make the loaf cake 1-2 days ahead of time. Because the loaf is rather moist, keeping the cake in the refrigerator until you are ready to eat it is best.
• To Store: Store the loaf cake in an airtight container for 3-5 days. It is best to keep the container in the fridge because of the moisture in the cake.
• To Freeze: Freeze any extra slices of the loaf cake wrapped in plastic or in an airtight container. The loaf cake can also be made, cooled, and frozen in a whole loaf.

Tips and Variations

• Frozen Cranberries - Try to use fresh cranberries for this cake. Frozen or dried cranberries can work as a substitute, but fresh will be best for the flavor.
• No Nuts - If you aren't a big walnut fan, feel free to leave them out of the cake.
• Bake Time - This is a dense cake that takes about an hour to bake. Don't rush the baking process, and when a toothpick runs clean, the cake is done.