Krusteaz's Worst Quick Bread Mix Flops In Taste And Texture

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Krusteaz may not be as well-known as Duncan Hines or Pillsbury, but the brand is arguably much more prolific. Not only do they make muffin and pancake mixes, but Krusteaz's line of quick breads offers a unique and diverse array of desserts to enjoy for either breakfast or brunch. Tasting Table sampled and ranked 6 different Krusteaz pound cake and quick bread mixes according to ease of use, flavor, and texture. And the worst Krusteaz quick bread overall was the cranberry orange quick bread, simply because it totally flopped in the taste and texture departments. Upon opening the box, the jar of orange-zested cranberries smelled incredible and gave us all the hope in the world that the intoxicatingly citrusy, devilishly fruity aroma was going to equate to a tasty loaf. 

The mix itself needed little more than water, oil, and eggs to make, which blend to combine before stirring the cranberries and zest in until they're evenly dispersed. The mix came together easily, but our hopes were dashed after taking the bread out of the oven. Even after baking it for the longest possible time the instructions stated, the bread was still underdone. The center was sunken in, the slices crumbled apart, and the consistency of the crumb was grainy. The biggest disappointment, however, came with the flavor. Despite such a strong fruity aroma, the flavor was muted. The grainy, fall-apart texture was front and center since there was no tangy, bright fruitiness to compensate. Consequently, this cranberry orange quick bread is one Krusteaz product to avoid.

We weren't the only ones who felt let down by the promise of Krusteaz's cranberry orange quick bread. There are plenty of negative reviews on both the official Krusteaz website and Amazon. One customer on the former wrote, "What a huge disappointment [...] What I got in that box of convenience was somewhere between 'yuk' and 'what the...'" while an Amazon customer described the texture and taste as "gritty to feel and it was not orange enough." Perhaps longer baking times would've improved the crumbly, gritty texture. But even a fluffy inside wouldn't make up for a total lack of flavor. Cranberry and orange are both very bright and cheerful flavors that balance sweet and tart while also contributing unique fruity notes.

In fact, you're better off making a glazed cranberry bread from scratch using our recipe, which adorns the loaf with a luxurious orange glaze made with powdered sugar, orange liqueur, and cranberry juice. If you're stuck with a box of Krusteaz's cranberry orange quick bread, you can at least whip up a glaze to help bring an orange cranberry flavor to it. Surprisingly, we ranked Krusteaz's cranberry orange muffin mix as the second best in their line. So, if you're really hankering for a worthy cranberry orange product, you can always pick up a box instead.