Orange Bread/Orange Nut Bread

Orange Bread with its citrusy orange flavour makes it a favourite for the breakfast table. Its counterpart, Orange Nut Bread, has the addition of crunchy walnuts or pecans. And don't forget the optional glaze that takes this bread from the breakfast or brunch table to the dessert plate. Just great with a tall glass of milk or cup of tea.  

I think just about everyone likes a slice of quick bread.  You know the stuff like banana bread.  As I was looking through my index of recipes I realized I only have one pumpkin bread and the rest are banana bread recipes!  I decided I'd better remedy this and decided to include a recipe for Orange Bread. 

Women from Newfoundland & Labrador contributed 

to this cookbook, circa 1974, celebrating our

25th anniversary of confederation with Canada .  

Unfortunately the name of the contributor was not 

attached to any recipe.  

I've had a recipe for Orange Bread for years that I occasionally make but I really thought it a bit dry. So I never published that recipe. So I've been on the lookout for a nice recipe.  Just the other day, while flipping through one of Mom's old cookbooks, I came across a recipe that I thought might have potential.  I made it up but, it too, was a bit dry and not enough orange flavour.  It had a lovely texture though and I thought I might see what I could do with it to make it better.  Success!  I now have what I consider (dare I say, perfect) a great Orange Bread with an Orange Nut Bread alternative. I have also included an optional glaze for the loaf which I would highly recommend.

Don't be put off by the mashed potatoes in this recipe.  Mashed potatoes have been used in breads, cakes, cookies and candy by generations of cooks who want to incorporate the moistness that mashed potatoes will impart. 

Printable recipe at bottom of post.

Orange Bread

• 2 ¾ cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• Grated rind of large orange
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup orange juice, fresh squeezed or bottled
• ½ cup plain, unseasoned mashed potatos (use leftovers or about 1 medium potato) 
• ½ cup oil
• 1 teaspoon orange extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Glaze (optional)

• Mix together until everything is dissolved:
• 2 tablespoon orange juice
• ¼ cup sugar

How to make it:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and line bottom of a 9x5-inch loaf pan. 

Note: Peel medium sized potato and cut in thin slices.  Boil in small pot with enough water to cover.  When cooked, drain and mash until smooth.  You can cook the potato while you are assembling the dry and wet ingredients.  If you cut the potato in thin slices it should be cooked and  ready to mash about the same time you are ready to mix the bread ingredients together.  

Into a large bowl sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix the grated orange rind through the flour mixture to evenly distribute. 

In a medium bowl beat the eggs together with the orange juice, mashed potatoes, oil and extracts.

Make a well in the dry ingredients.  Pour in the wet ingredients.  Gently mix together until there are barely no streaks of flour showing.  DO NOT BEAT.  Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 55-60 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean.  There should be no sticky batter clinging to the tester or toothpick.  Remove from oven, and if using, spread glaze over the hot bread.  Let bread sit in pan at least 15 minutes before removing. Let cool thoroughly on baking rack.    

Quick breads usually slice and taste best the day after being made, but it's your decision when to cut and eat.  Store the bread in an air-tight container or plastic bread bag.  Bread also freezes well. 

Serve the bread plain or with butter or cream cheese spread.  For a special occasion or dessert try spreading with Nutella or other chocolate spread.

Makes 1 loaf or about 12-16 slices. 


Orange Nut Bread
To make Orange Nut Bread add ¾ cup chopped walnuts or pecans to the dry ingredients and mix and bake as directed above.

Sift dry ingredients together.

Mix the grated orange rind through the flour mixture.

If making Orange Nut Bread add the chopped nuts to the dry ingredients at this point.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with the oil, orange juice and mashed potatoes.

Orange extract gives a boost of orange flavour to the mix.  Please try to find pure extracts for best results.

Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients all at once.

Gently mix together until no streaks of flour show.  DO NOT BEAT as this will cause the bread to become tough and full of tunnels.

Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake in the preheated 350 degree oven for 55-60 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean.

When the bread is baked remove from oven and spread the glaze over the top of the hot bread.  It may seem like a lot of glaze but it will soak in and go down the sides of the loaf.  Let sit in pan about 15 minutes before removing from pan.

When the loaf has rested 15 minutes turn out on cooling rack.  Cool thoroughly before storing or cutting.

I couldn't wait to cut the Orange Tea Bread so I cut it as soon as it was almost cool enough, ha, ha.  It was so good and tasty.

You may enjoy this lovely Orange Bread plain or with a spread of butter or cream cheese spread.

I'm rather partial to the Orange Nut Bread as well as the plain.  I make it plain if I'm taking the bread to a community or church function because of safety issues with nut allergies.

A tasty treat any time of the day, with or without nuts!

print recipe

Orange Bread/Orange Nut Bread

by Lois Gill March-11-2018

Orange Bread with its citrusy orange flavour makes it a favourite for the breakfast table.

Ingredients

• 2 ¾ cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• Grated rind of large orange
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup orange juice, fresh squeezed or bottled
• ½ cup plain, unseasoned mashed potatos (use leftovers or about 1 medium potato)
• ½ cup oil
• 1 teaspoon orange extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Glaze (optional)
• Mix together until everything is dissolved:
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• ¼ cup sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and line bottom of a 9x5-inch loaf pan.

Note: Peel medium sized potato and cut in thin slices. Boil in small pot with enough water to cover. When cooked, drain and mash until smooth. You can cook the potato while you are assembling the dry and wet ingredients. If you cut the potato in thin slices it should be cooked and ready to mash about the same time you are ready to mix the bread ingredients together.

Into a large bowl sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix the grated orange rind through the flour mixture to evenly distribute.

In a medium bowl beat the eggs together with the orange juice, mashed potatoes, oil and extracts.

Make a well in the dry ingredients. Pour in the wet ingredients. Gently mix together until there are barely no streaks of flour showing. DO NOT BEAT. Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 55-60 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean. There should be no sticky batter clinging to the tester or toothpick. Remove from oven, and if using, spread glaze over the hot bread. Let bread sit in pan at least 15 minutes before removing. Let cool thoroughly on baking rack.

Quick breads usually slice and taste best the day after being made, but it's your decision when to cut and eat. Store the bread in an air-tight container or plastic bread bag. Bread also freezes well.

Serve the bread plain or with butter or cream cheese spread. For a special occasion or dessert try spreading with Nutella or other chocolate spread.

Makes 1 loaf or about 12-16 slices.

Orange Nut Bread
To make Orange Nut Bread add ¾ cup chopped walnuts or pecans to the dry ingredients and mix and bake as directed above.

Details

Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: 1 hour Total time: 1 hour 20 mins Yield: 12-16 slices