Do you have a lucky fruit or charm in baking? I think mine is blueberry. Anything I bake with blueberries comes out so well. Touch wood! Interestingly I'm not a fan of plain blueberries.
My all-time favorite recipe is the Low Fat Blueberry Almond Coffee Cake and the most tried and loved recipe from this blog by the visitors is the Vegan Blueberry Muffins.
I'm pretty sure that this Orange Blueberry Quick Bread too will make it to the list of your favorites because it is already in mine.
This orange blueberry bread recipe is my version of the lemon blueberry bread recipes I came across here and here.
Both the recipes are quite similar, so I took some hints and have come up with my version of the orange blueberry bread. I somehow prefer the mellow citrus flavor of oranges to that of lemons in baked goods. The citrus nature of orange is not as pronounced as that of lemon, but it surely exhibits its presence and compliments the end product's taste. So this orange blueberry bread is no exception to the above.
The bread was very moist, light, and fluffy. The sweetness was just right, the citrus tang from the oranges was perfect, and the pecans gave the bread a nice texture.
More than everything the house smells so good while the bread is baking. It's amazing that as little as 5 tablespoons of butter can give that pleasant aroma.
I'm also confident that this recipe minus the blueberries and nuts will make an excellent low-fat orange-flavored pound cake. I can't wait to try that version too.
Who needs a pound of butter and everything else to make a pound cake when we can get the same fantastic result with this low-fat version?
Recipe
Orange Blueberry Bread
Ingredients
- 1 and ½ cups All Purpose Flour
- ¼ teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 and ¼ teaspoons Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 5 tablespoons Butter (measured and melted)
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- ¼ cup Applesauce (Homemade, dry measuring cup)
- ¼ cup Plain Yogurt (I used fat free - dry measuring cup)
- 4 tablespoons Orange Juice (Freshly Squeezed)
- 1 tablespoon Orange Zest
- ½ cup Milk (I used 2%)
- 1 cup Blueberries (Fresh or Frozen)
- ½ cup Pecans (Chopped, or any nuts of your choice/optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F/180C for 15 minutes. Coat a 9x5 inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray on the sides and bottom.
- In a medium size bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; keep it aside.
- Whisk together the applesauce, yogurt, orange juice, and zest in a small bowl.
- In a large bowl, cream the melted butter and sugar together for about 5 minutes using a handheld electric mixer. (Update: Measure the butter first and then melt it. The butter and sugar doesn't cream very much. It looks more like coarse crumbs). Add the above-wet mixture and beat well for another 2-3 minutes. The mixture will look curdled, but it's okay.
- Now, add the flour and milk alternatively and beat for a couple of seconds after each addition. Add the flour in three parts and milk twice. So you would start with flour and end with flour.
- Fold in the blueberries and nuts. If using frozen blueberries, do not thaw them.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin and bake between 60-70 minutes or until the bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean. Mine was done exactly at 60 minutes.
- Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let it cool for about an hour before removing the bread from the pan. I think I did not grease the bottom of the loaf pan well enough so I could remove the bread only after about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Cool it completely on the wire rack (preferably overnight) before cutting it into slices. I baked it after 8 pm, so I left it overnight and was able to get neat slices the next day morning.
My Notes
- I would suggest lining the loaf pan with parchment paper so that you can remove the bread from the pan within a span of 15-20 minutes. I usually do it for my cakes but I completely forgot while baking this bread.
- Always use freshly squeezed orange juice only while baking. I have tried several brands of store-bought juice, and every brand leaves a bitter aftertaste. It totally spoils the baked good. I used the zest of 2 big oranges in this recipe.
- If you are up to taking risks, why don't you try the same recipe without the berries and nuts for a low-fat orange pound cake!
Nutrition
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Anne says
Thanks so much for the recipe. My daughter has many allergies eggs and nuts included. So finding a cake / bread she can make and joy to eat is wonderful. It was easy enough for new bakers and we have made 3 so far.
Madhuram says
You're welcome, Anne and thank you very much for the feedback.
Srishti Agarwal says
Hi.
1. If we use frozen blueberries, do we need to thaw them?
2. Can we use canned orange juice ?
3. If orange is not in season, can I use orange essence? If yes, how much?
Madhuram says
Do not thaw frozen blueberries. Use it directly from the freezer. Yes, you can use canned juice. You can use orange essence but it might be too strong so try using 1/4 teaspoon and see how you like it and decide accordingly.
Raspreet says
Thank you for the recipe! I omitted nuts and replaced orange with tangerine, and used only 3/4 cup sugar. It was delicious!
Madhuram says
You're very welcome Raspreet.
Jane says
Hi! Can I substitute All Purpose Flour with Whole Wheat flour? Does that work for all recipes? Cakes, muffins, cookies...
Madhuram says
It doesn't work for all recipes Jane. The taste and texture will definitely differ. So you can try out substituting half the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour and slowly increase the proportion.
MikeyD says
Absolutely amazing. Though I had to make some minor modifications as I'm on a plant based diet. I used almost 3/4 cup fresh almond milk and about 2 tbsp tahini to replace the milk and yogurt.
Thank you. This is definitely going into my cookbook.
Madhuram says
You're very welcome Mikey.
Bharat Jadav says
Same problem happened with me ma'am. It didn't rise properly..I added 1/4th teaspoon baking soda still, I dont know wht went wrong..please guide
Madhuram says
Did you use the 1 and 1/4 teaspoon baking powder too?
Bharat Jadav says
yes ma'am ..1.1/4th teaspoon baking powder
Jigita doshi says
Hi I tried three times but it is not rising properly. It is very soft and yummy but the only problem is it dosent rise properly. Thank u
Madhuram says
Hmm...can't guess where you are going wrong.
Falguni says
Hey Madhuram,
Breads looks extremely tempting, I haven't tried yet but I was planning to use whole wheat flour, I mean half all purpose flour and half whole wheat flour. Do you think bread with turn soft and moist with whole wheat flour?
Madhuram says
Yes it should work Falguni.
roopa says
Hi
I tried this recipe but I used canned cherries instead of blueberries and added some nuts also. But the colour was bit darker n it was too moist..so took longer for me to bake..and just to make sure by one cup does it mean 240 ml ? Pls help..
Madhuram says
Check this page for baking measurements:http://www.egglesscooking.com/baking-101/baking-measurements/
parul upadhyay says
If blueberries are not available what can I use?
Madhuram says
Try chopped strawberries.
Faith says
5 star recipe for sure!
Faith says
I made this couple of weeks ago. I used Almond Milk instead of Apple sauce since i did not have apple sauce handy. The bread came out oh so yummy! We had it with coffee at home and felt like we were sitting in a cafe 🙂 Thank you so much Madhuram for this recipe.
Madhuram says
You're welcome Faith. I wish you can rate the recipe.
Sumitra says
Hi Madhuram, a great recipe for a quick bread. The bread is yummy, moist, soft and delicious and I could'nt wait to slice it after taking it out of the oven. I didn't have blueberries and so I added raisins (after plumping them) and since I'm a fan of almonds, I added 1/2 a cup of almonds. I always like to toast the nuts a little before adding to most recipes and so I toasted the nuts. I feel toasting the nuts removes the raw smell and also makes them a little crisp and crunchy. Also, I used tangerine juice (instead of orange juice) and orange zest as I felt that orange juice has that tinge of bitterness even when freshly squeezed unlike tangerine which is sweet! Well, I had tangerine in stock and thought of giving it a try! My bread was done at abt 55 min and I also brushed the bread with orange glaze to give it a tangy orange flavor. Since I always use parchment paper, removing the bread from the pan was a breeze. I should have been more patient slicing the loaf though and realized when I started slicing it! I left it overnight and could slice the loaf neatly. I'm also happy that it required only less than a stick of butter! Thanks for the yummy recipe.
Madhuram says
Those are some great changes you have made Sumitra. I'm glad that it turned out good.
Uthra says
Hi Madhuram,
Amazing recipe. This was my first baking experiment and it turned out well. I modified it a little bit and made it a lemon blueberry cake instead. I added lemon zest and also brushed some lemon glaze on the bread when it was done. I had two questions - most of my blueberries were settled at the bottom. Do you have any ideas on how to avoid it? Also, although my bread did not break when I tried to cut it, it did crumble a little. Any suggestions on what I could tweak? Thanks a lot!
-Uthra.
Madhuram says
Thanks Uthra. To prevent fruit (fresh or dried) from sinking at the bottom you will have to toss it with little flour before adding it to the rest of the ingredients. Try that the next time. You have to let the bread cool completely preferably overnight. Or try storing it in the refrigerator before slicing if time is short
Uthra says
Thanks for the quick reply, Madhuram. I'll definitely try that next time!
-Uthra.
eugene says
Hello Madhu
Can i subtitute yogurt with buttermilk?
thanks
Madhuram says
You can Eugene.
Kavitha says
Hi Madhuram,
I tried this bread a few weeks back with mixed frozen berries
and it turned out moist and wonderful. I have since baked it
2-3 times and shared it with friends and neighbors. They all
liked it so much and asked for the recipe and have since made and
enjoyed it as much as I did. Thanks for posting a winner!
Madhuram says
You're welcome Kavitha. I'm glad that all of you enjoyed this recipe.
Bhavna says
Hi - What's the substitute for Apple Sauce?
Madhuram says
Maybe you could try 2 tablespoons of milk.
Vera says
I baked this bread yesterday evening, but with cranberry's. In the morning I tried a slice and it was very delicious. But it was coming apart, so I didn't continue, will try to refrigerate it for 1 hour and then slice it.
Madhuram says
Thanks for trying the recipe Vera.
Jeya says
Hi Madhuram,
I tried this recipe today. Awesome. I was able to slice the bread in an hour and it didn't crumble. As suggested, I used parchment paper to line the tray. I want try making this using freshly ground whole wheat flour. What are your thoughts?
Shraddha says
Hey Madhuram,
Can i substitute applesauce wit yogurt itself. Tat is half cup of yogurt altogether??
Krsna says
hey Madhuram, i was planning to make this and take with me
while i fly.
would it be ok to have the bread outside the fridge for a day or so?
Thanks,
Madhuram says
It should not be a problem Krsna.
Shivangi says
I just put the bread in the oven, looking forward how it turns out. Love your recipes and i am a big fan of blueberries.
Keep u poted!
sheetal says
Hi Madhuram,
The bread looks absolutely yumm!! cant wait to make it. have just one question though.Can i substitute applesauce with flax seed/oil/yogurt i guess its being used as egg replacement (correct me if i m wrong). I have tried ur cake receipes with egg subsitues of yogurt and canola oil and the cakes have come out awesome. Pl let me know. Thanks.
Madhuram says
I already have used 1/4 cup of yogurt for 1 egg. I used applesauce for the other egg because I thought it needed some binding agent. So I think using flax seed powder for the other egg should be fine.
Vera says
Always great ideas. I haven't baked any breads yet and thought to try this one. I am from Lebanon and we don't have applesauce over here. Neither flax seed powder. What can I use instead? Thx in advance...
Madhuram says
You could make applesauce at home. Just peel and chop apples. Add little water and cook it in the microwave oven/stove top and blend it once it is cool enough.
Vera says
Thx a lot! I will try this very soon!
Siobhan says
Yummm!! I just finished making this and it does make the house smell fabulous. The batter was scrumptious and without having to worry about the raw eggs my daughter had a lot of fun licking the bowl.
Now comes the painful part, trying to wait until morning to have a slice.
Madhuram says
It's worth the wait Siobhan. Thanks for trying the recipe.
Meena says
Many Thanks for your prompt reply Madhuram! I will try this recipe again with the right qty of butter and all the ingds and make muffins! can't wait, as my husband loves blueberry muffins.
Tejas says
I have tried this recipe and loved it!!
I have strawberry preserve and I am looking for recipe (other than heart cookies) to use this jar. Please pass along your ideas.
Madhuram says
Thanks for trying the recipe Tejas. You could blend a couple of tablespoons of the preserves, some vanilla/strawberry icecream, milk/yogurt and ice cubes for a quick strawberry milkshake/smoothie. Or blend the preserves with some soft/silken tofu, vanilla extract and some fresh strawberries if you have any for a vegan strawberry pudding. Try searching strawberry preserves in some recipe sites like Taste of Home etc and you will get a bunch of ideas, including bars, cookies etc.
Meena says
Hi Madhuram,
I tried this recipe without the blueberries as I didn't have them on hand. It came out just so wonderful. The sweet aroma, the beautiful texture of the bread..the flavor was just out of this world! My husband was all praises for me! I told him the real credit goes to madhuram's recipe! I had 1 question. when i mixed 5 tbsps of melted butter with 1 cup sugar, it didn't cream up. so i added 2 tbsps of margarine to the mix. Should I take 5 tbsps of butter and then melt it or melt the butter first, and then measure 5 tbsps from it? I hope my question makes sense! Pls correct me if Iam wrong. I want to make loads of this in future. Another question-can I use the same recipe for muffins? If so, how long should I bake it? Thanks tonnnes!
Madhuram says
Meena, thanks for trying this recipe without the blueberries. I'm so eager to try it out myself that's why I had written it in the Notes section. Yes the butter and sugar doesn't cream up much, it looks more like coarse crumbs. You measure the 5 tablespoons of butter first and then melt it. Muffins should bake up much quicker; try between 15-17 minutes maybe or 20 minutes max. You test once at 15 minutes and then decide accordingly.
Honey says
This looks so good... I always love your recipes and how you try and lower the fat where possible.
Lovely site!
Welcome to my blog.
Gayathri says
Hi Madhuram,
This looks so good. Just one question. I usually use EnerG egg replacer. Wanted to know if the apple-sauce + yoghurt in your recipe is for one egg or more?
Thanks,
Gayathri
Thanks Gayathri. I have replaced 2 eggs with 1/4 each of applesauce and yogurt. I haven't tried EnerG in quick breads so far. So if you happen to try it please let me know how it turns out.
Cherine says
Looks so good!
Hetal says
Hi....I am back to blogging and its gr8 to see all ur lovely recipes..
Vanya says
Thanks for the suggestions, Madhuram. I did leave mine overnight on the cooling rack. Next time I'll try refrigerating before slicing.
By the way, I took it to work and it was a huge success! This is probably the 5th recipe I've tried from your blog and I've yet to encounter a disappointment. You rock! 🙂
Madhuram says
Thanks for the compliments Vanya. I wish the bread hadn't crumbled though
Vanya says
Hi Madhuram,
This recipe looked incredibly good and I had to try it out asap! The bread tastes great but it seems to break/crumble easily. Do you think it's the weight of the pecans that's making it fragile?
Thanks,
Vanya
Madhuram says
That was very quick Vanya. Thanks for trying the recipe. Did you give enough time before slicing it? I left mine overnight plus another couple of hours. My bread had a very light crack on the top and while cutting that portion only it crumbled. The rest of the slices were perfect. In fact my son took it to school for 3 days and he doesn't like bits and pieces falling down.
I got an idea while typing this, maybe in future you could try leaving the bread tightly wrapped in plastic wrap in the fridge (of course after it has cooled completely) for an hour or so before slicing. Maybe that could help.
Madhavi says
Hi
I am a fan of your blog. very nice recipes , frankly speaking i have learnt how to bake a cake from your blog. thanks for that . i am a vegetarian and don't like to use eggs in any of my cooking so always come back to your site for my eggless cooking specially cakes and cookies. Thanks for sharing with us all u r recipes. Will definetely try this orange blueberries cake . it looks so yummy.!!!!!!
You're welcome Madhavi.
Priya says
Gorgeous and beautiful looking bread..
suma says
Yumm!! Love citrus in bakes and this looks really good!! What can be a good substitute for apple sauce?? Would love to try this recipe..
CurryLeaf says
Wow,Wow,Wow.I think I too will love this Madhu.Love all ur blueberry recipes.What u said abt oil and butter is true.Sometimes (almost all times 😀 ) butter is better
Bhuvana Govind says
wow...lovely Madhuram special after a while.. how r u my friend? How r things with u? Write when you find time. Take care
Regards,
Bhuvana
notyet100 says
looks so yum,.will definetly try this
Sayantani says
we dont get blueberries here so whenever I see something baked with this fruit I feel like tasting it. looks very moist and perfect.
harini-jaya says
great combo of blueberries, orange juice and apple sauce. was wondering if we can use canola oil instead of butter and still get the same taste? any thoughts?
Madhuram says
I wouldn't think so Harini. I too use oil mostly but went with butter for this recipe and don't regret it at all because it had such an amazing flavor and smell. Bread with oil would be moist too but not as flavorful as this one. Maybe you can try some butter flavored melted margarine instead. Or try using oil and a teaspoon of butter flavored extract.
Rachana Kothari says
I love citrus flavours in baked goods too. This bread would be perfect with my cuppa now 🙂
Vidhya says
bread looks so good Madhu... I am bookmarking this one:)
Happy Cook says
Wowo the cake jus tlooks so so beauiful, wish i had a slice with my cup of tea this afternoon.
Sanjeeta kk says
The bread looks moist and perfect for any time tea break!
Sonia {7spice} says
I'm not big fan of blueberries itself, but love to use in baking. This loaf looks quite tempting. I've bookmarked low fat orange pound cake from somewhere and will keep your recipe in my mind too.
Well, 2 weeks ago, I tried your Oat Flour and Beet Brownies, came out really good. Very tasty, indeed! Thanks for recipe. 🙂
You're welcome Sonia.