Chocolate and Cranberry Quick Bread with Cinnamon Glaze

Chocolate and Cranberry Quick Bread with Cinnamon Glaze blends rich, velvety chocolate with the sweet-tart brightness of cranberries and a hint of warming spice. This easy-to-make treat is perfect for any time of year, but especially during the holidays. It’s a delicious way to use up any leftover cranberries from the holiday season. Plus, it’s a little bit healthier than your typical quick bread, thanks to a secret ingredient that keeps it moist and flavourful. 

Want to know the secret ingredient?

Shh…It’s zucchini, or courgettes, as we call them in the United Kingdom and Europe. Don’t be alarmed, the secret ingredient really is secret – you can’t taste or even really see the zucchini.

The zucchini also adds fibre adn etween the zucchini, cranberries and walnuts, this quick bread has some very wholesome ingredients.

Tips for Making My Easy Chocolate and Cranberry Quick Bread

One of the best things about this Chocolate and Cranberry Quick Bread – aside from its decadent, rich and luscious flavour – is how quick and easy it is to make. You mix the dry ingredients together in one bowl, the wet ingredients in another, and then combine them. Measure out everything beforehand and you’ll have the quick bread made in mere moments. Then all you have to do is enjoy the wonderful smells coming from the oven while it cooks.

Like most muffin and quick bread recipes, the wet ingredients are stirred into the dry ingredients just until mixed. However with this cake at this stage, you will notice that the batter is very stiff. You need to be persistent in order to get all the dry ingredients mixed in, but do not beat the batter or you will make the quick bread tough.

Don’t be tempted to add more liquid. The zucchini gives off liquid while it is cooking, so trust me, all will be well! Just keep scraping the bowl down with a spatula and stirring with a wooden spoon until it just comes together. I scoop the batter into the loaf pans with a ladle it is so stiff – but it makes the most beautiful, moist, chocolatey loaf you can imagine.

Chocolate and Cranberry Quick Bread Makes a Great Gift!

I always like it when a quick bread recipe makes two loaves like this one does. It means there is one to keep and one to share. Wrapped in cellophane and tied with a ribbon, my Chocolate and Cranberry Quick Bread makes a wonderful hostess or holiday gift.

There Are Lots of Possible Variations

The batter for Chocolate and Cranberry Quick Bread can be baked in lots of ways. This is the pan I used to make the loaf in the photograph above. That day I baked the batter for the second loaf in an ordinary loaf pan (both affiliate links).

The cinnamon glaze makes this Chocolate and Cranberry Quick Bread extra special – even taking it into the realms of loaf cake – however it also tastes great without it.

Fancy a change from quick bread? Use muffin tins (affiliate link) to make the recipe as muffins or cupcakes. Serve the muffins plain or glazed. If I want cupcakes, I simply frost the ‘muffins’ with a homemade chocolate buttercream with a teaspoon of cinnamon added to it. Muffins take just 15 to 20 minutes to bake, so not as long as the quick bread. They are done when a toothpick or skewer inserted in the muffins or cupcakes comes out clean.

How to Serve Chocolate and Cranberry Quick Bread, Muffins or Cupcakes

Chocolate and Cranberry Quick Bread is delicious for breakfast, a snack or at teatime. I also serve it as a dessert with a scoop of good vanilla ice cream that I have sprinkled with a bit of cinnamon. Chocolate and Cranberry Quick Bread also makes a gorgeously decadent holiday breakfast, either in quick bread or muffin form.

A Quick Bread For All Seasons

Although the warmly spiced flavours are redolent of the holidays, you can make this recipe with frozen cranberries all year round. It’s especially good for using up a glut of zucchini from your late summer garden!

Chocolate and Cranberry Quick Bread with Cinnamon Glaze – Printable Recipe

Created by: April J Harris

Chocolate Cranberry Quick Bread with Cinnamon Glaze

Course Dessert

Cuisine Canadian

Servings 2 loaves

Print

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 2½ cups all purpose flour
• ½ cup cocoa
• 1¾ cup granulated or caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, slightly thawed if frozen, and chopped
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• 3 large eggs
• ½ cup mild olive oil or other mild vegetable oil
• ½ cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1½ cups shredded zucchini/courgettes about 2 medium zucchini

For the Glaze

• 1 cup icing sugar Icing sugar is also known as confectioner's sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 to 3 tablespoons water

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (170°C or 160°C for a fan oven).
• Grease or line two large loaf pans. If using muffin pans, grease or line with paper liners.
• Combine the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a very large bowl. Stir to mix thoroughly.
• Stir in the chopped cranberries and walnuts. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, beat the eggs.
• Add the olive oil, buttermilk and vanilla and beat together well.
• Stir in the shredded zucchini (courgettes).
• Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring gently as you go. Be sure to blend in all the dry ingredients, but only until just mixed. Do not beat.
• The batter will be very thick at this point, but don't be tempted to add any more liquid. The zucchini will release some of its liquid while cooking.
• Scoop the batter into the loaf pans, levelling the top a little.
• Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the loaves comes out clean.
• Cool in the loaf pans for 15 minutes.
• Remove the loaves from the loaf pans carefully and cool completely on wire racks.
• When the loaves are completely cool, make the glaze.
• Combine the icing sugar (confectioner’s sugar) and cinnamon.
• Gradually add the water, a bit at a time, beating until a smooth, drizzle-able consistency is reached. You may not need all the water.
• Drizzle the glaze over the loaves and allow the glaze to set before cutting.

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