Chocolate Cranberry Quick Bread Recipe

Chocolate Cranberry Quick Bread is not only variable but can be stashed in the freezer for a quick addition to breakfast, brunch or snacking. This is definitely a treat for anyone who loves chocolate - two different chocolates including a chocolate crumb topping and Dutch cocoa for the most chocolatey taste and look.

This recipe has been updated with new photography as well as step by step instructions. In addition to the quick bread, it makes great muffins.

Other great quick breads include: Simple Pumpkin Pecan Scones Recipe, Cream Biscuits, Best Two Step Banana Bread, Cinnamon Filled Buttermilk Scones, and Heavenly French Toast with Blueberry Compote.

Recipe Ingredients

Chocolate Crumbs

FRONT ROW: Cinnamon, table salt

MIDDLE ROW: Unsalted butter, cocoa

BACK ROW: Brown sugar, all-purpose flour

Chocolate Cranberry Bread

FRONT ROW: Vanilla, baking soda, orange zest, baking powder

SECOND ROW: Cinnamon, unsalted butter, sour cream

THIRD ROW: Chocolate Chunks, granulated sugar, semisweet chocolate

BACK ROW: Eggs, all-purpose flour, frozen cranberries

Key Ingredients

• Orange Zest can be had with 1 large orange. Navel oranges are usually best as they yield more zest and it is sometimes dryer. A bit more or less is fine. When zesting, be sure not to go too deep. You do not want to include the pith as it can be bitter. Using a microplaner is preferred to a box grater. Do not use juice oranges. They don't yield as much zest.
• I used Dutch cocoa for its mellow flavor and the darker finish to the bread. It's also important because of the increased amount of baking powder over baking soda.
• Dark Brown Sugar adds an intensity to the chocolate bread. Light brown can be substituted if necessary.
• Sour Cream adds moisture and flavor to the bread.
• There are two types of chocolate used. Chocolate chunks are used to intensify the depth of chocolate. Chocolate chips can be subbed. The second is semisweet chocolate.
• Semisweet chocolate provides the base for the chocolate. Chocolate chips should not but used here as they don't have the depth of flavor as does unadulterated semisweet chocolate. The chocolate I use is Callebaut #811 Chocolate Callets. Although they look like chips they are pure chocolate.
• The cranberries must be frozen for this recipe to work. They should be frozen hard then coarsely chopped in the food processor and incorporated at once into the batter. Used this way they will not add any liquid to the batter when baked.

Step by Step Instructions

Be sure the cranberries are solidly frozen before proceeding.

Step 1. Place the frozen cranberries in the bowl of a processor. Step 2. Process briefly with pulses into large, small and some whole cranberries. Transfer the cranberries to a bowl and place in the freezer.  Step 3. Place all the dry ingredients for the chocolate crumbs in a processor bowl. Process to mix. Step 4. Add the butter to the processor in a circle over the dry ingredients. Process briefly to bring the ingredients together. Pulse with long pulses until it forms crumbs. Be patient and scrape down. Make quicker pulses as it starts to come together. Do not over process or it will form a paste.

Step 5. Pour the crumbs onto a quarter sheet pan and refrigerate while proceeding. Step 6. Zest the orange. Do not go too far into the pith or it will be bitter. I like to use a microplaner instead of a box grater. Navel oranges yield more zest than juice oranges. Step 7. Place the butter and semisweet chocolate together in a microwave bowl. Microwave on half power until the chocolate appears shiny and the butter is melted. Step 8. Whisk together. If chocolate is not completely melted, let it sit for a couple of minutes and whisk again. If still not smooth briefly microwave at half power again.

Step 9. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda together. Step 10. Sift the mixture over waxed paper. Cocoa often has lumps in it that will not break down with just whisking it together. Push the lumps through with a spoon. Step 11. Whisk together. Step 12. Place the eggs, granulated sugar and orange zest in the bowl of a mixer. 

Step 13. Mix until thoroughly combined. This took about 3 minutes on medium in my Breville. Scrape down as needed. Step 14. Add the sour cream and vanilla. Step 15. Beat on low until completely combined, scraping down as needed. Step 16. Add the cooled chocolate/butter mixture.

Step 17. Mix on low until combined, scraping as needed. Step 18. Add all the flour and once and beat on low to combine. Step 19. Add the cranberries and chocolate chunks into the batter. Step 19. Beat until combined.

Step 21. Have the crumbs and batter ready. Step 22. Place a parchment liner on the bottom of the pan and spray the entire pan, including the parchment with a non-stick baking release. Fill the loaf pan about with about ¾ of the batter or 915 grams. Top with about ¾ of the crumbs or 170 grams. Step 23. Line three jumbo muffin pans with paper cups and divide the remainder of the batter between them. Top with the crumbs. Step 24. Bake as directed.