This Better Than Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bread has all the bells and whistles of the original cranberry bars, but in an irresistible pound cake form. Skip the coffee shop and stay home and bake!
My better than Starbuck’s cranberry bliss bread is one of the best perks of fall!
I delight in everything about this season, and even though it’s a cliche, I still get a warm rush when Starbuck’s brings out the pumpkin lattes. But I think everyone can agree that while their coffee is pretty fantastic, their baked stuff has taken a nosedive in recent years. There was a time when I was happy to splurge on maple oat nut scones and pumpkin breads, but not anymore. Now I grab my coffee solo, because I know I’ve got an even better treat waiting for me at home, homemade cranberry bliss bread!
what you’ll need to make cranberry bliss bread
- flour
- butter
- sugar
- eggs
- buttermilk
- dried cranberries
- vanilla
- milk
- baking soda, powder, and salt
- white chocolate
- you can use real white chocolate, or white ‘confectionary’ which is cheaper and easier to melt.
The base of cranberry bliss bread is a rich buttery cake made with part whole wheat flour and studded with dried cranberries and white chocolate chips. The thick vanilla frosting is covered with more cranberries, and then the whole thing is drizzled with white chocolate. It’s fun, festive, and way better than the dried out squares in the case.
the perfect loaf pan for cranberry bliss bread
Loaf pans can be surprisingly tricky to work with because they come in all kinds of sizes and most recipes aren’t specific about the dimensions. This is the classic 1 1/4 pound, 9×5 loaf pan that is your best bet for most recipes. USA pans are my favorite because they’re sturdy, and made here in the US.
tips for glazing cranberry bliss bread
A big part of the appeal of the cranberry bliss franchise is that gorgeous top. It just screams holiday! It’s a yummy combination of a creamy white frosting, drizzled white chocolate, and sweet/tart cranberries for a pop of color. But some white chocolate can be tricky to melt. Adding a teaspoon of vegetable oil to the chocolate before melting can help prevent it from seizing. Go low and slow, whether you melt it in the microwave, or a double boiler on the stove.
Recommended white chocolate brands for easy melting:
- Valrhona Ivoire – A premium couverture white chocolate with 35% cocoa butter, known for its creamy, smooth melt.
- Callebaut White Chocolate – A popular choice among bakers for its high cocoa butter content and ease of melting.
- Ghirardelli White Chocolate Baking Bars – Readily available and melts well, thanks to its higher cocoa butter content compared to chips.
- Lindt White Chocolate – Known for its smooth texture, Lindt bars melt easily and are widely available.
white melting wafers
White melting wafers are an easy, reliable choice for baking and will work well for the glaze on your cranberry bliss bread. Made with vegetable fats instead of cocoa butter, they provide a consistent, fluid texture, making them perfect for dipping, coating, and decorating. Unlike traditional white chocolate, they’re less likely to seize or develop bloom, and they can be reheated without losing their smoothness. Popular brands like Ghirardelli and Wilton offer a convenient way to achieve polished results without the hassle.
More Starbucks copy cat recipes
- Better Than Starbucks Gingerbread Loaf
- Better Than Starbucks Banana Walnut Bread
- Starbucks Copy Cat Maple Oat Nut Scones
Better than Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bread
Equipment
- standard 9×5 loaf pan
Ingredients
cake
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries, plus a handful more for scattering over the frosting
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips, finely chopped. You can also use white confectionary or melting wafers for easy melting.
frosting
- 2 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- milk or cream to thin
drizzle
- 1/2 cup white chocolate , finely chopped. You can also use white confectionary or melting wafers for easy melting.
- 1 tsp coconut or vegetable oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Spray or butter a standard (9×5) loaf pan. I like to line it with a sheet of parchment paper to make it easy to remove the cake after baking.
- Whisk together the flours, soda, powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then the vanilla.
- Gently mix in the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
- Fold in the cranberries and chocolate chips.
- Turn the batter into your prepared loaf pan. I like to line it with a sheet of parchment paper to make it easy to remove the cake after baking. Bake for 55 minutes to an hour until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out without wet batter clinging to it. Don't over bake, check it early. Let the cake cool before you frost it.
- To make the frosting mix the sugar with enough milk or cream to create a thick spreadable consistency.. Blend in the vanilla. Spread over the top of the cooled cake. Scatter with dried cranberries.
- Make the chocolate drizzle by melting the chocolate and the oil in a small (clean and dry!) microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds and stir to melt. If necessary microwave for another few seconds, but be careful not to over do it.
- When the chocolate is smooth, take a spoon and drizzle it all over the top of the cake in a criss-cross pattern.
Nutrition
Can you make this in mini loaves?
Yes, sure!
Very good! It freezes nicely. I added some cardamom and orange zest to my batter for extra yum.