Orange Blueberry Bread

4.58 from 7 votes

Soft and light eggless orange blueberry bread made with fresh orange juice, juicy blueberries, and crunchy pecans. This easy quick bread uses applesauce and yogurt as egg substitutes, giving it a tender texture and fresh citrus flavor in every slice.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 10

Total Time2 25

Method: Baking

Course: Breads

Servings: 12 slices

Ingredients

1 and ½ cups All Purpose Flour
1 and ¼ teaspoons Baking Powder
¼ teaspoon Baking Soda
¼ 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. Line a 9x5 inch loaf pan with parchments paper, grease it lightly with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In another bowl, whisk together the applesauce, yogurt, orange juice, and orange zest.
In a large bowl, beat the melted butter and sugar for about 2 to 3 minutes. The mixture may look slightly crumbly and that is fine.
Add the yogurt mixture and beat until combined. The batter may look curdled.
Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the milk, mixing gently after each addition.
Fold in the blueberries and pecans. If using frozen blueberries, do not thaw them.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool the bread in the pan for about 1 hour before removing it. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before slicing. For neat slices, let the bread rest for a few hours or overnight.

Notes

Line the loaf pan with parchment paper for easy removal and cleanup. It helps the bread come out cleanly after cooling.
I used a combination of applesauce and yogurt as the egg substitute in this recipe. You can use all yogurt instead if preferred. If using only applesauce, increase the baking soda to ½ teaspoon for a better rise and texture.
Freshly squeezed orange juice gives the best flavor in this Orange Blueberry Bread. Store bought juice can leave a slightly bitter aftertaste in baked goods.
I used the zest from 2 large oranges for a fresh orange flavor throughout the bread.
You can skip the blueberries and pecans to make a simple eggless orange loaf cake instead.

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