Mixing up a loaf of this Orange Blueberry Bread is so simple you’ll want to keep it on the regular rotation! Move aside, banana bread — this delicious quick bread is perfect for breakfast or snack-time.
I have a love for blueberries – especially in baked goods like this quick bread, this Blueberry Crisp, or this Blueberry Banana French Toast Bake.
I have a handful of recipes here on the blog that I make regularly, but hadn’t taken the time to update the photo (or the recipe!). This Orange Blueberry Bread falls into that category.
I’ve been making it since 2010, and love it! My husband is not a fan of banana bread (*gasp*) so when I’m making something for him to eat as well, I like to turn to quick bread recipes like this Orange Blueberry Bread. I love how little hands on time it takes, and it’s so delicious that I can’t say no to a slice! This is the perfect quick bread for breakfast or brunch, as it is not overly sweet. It’s definitely sweet but not one of the indulgent quick bread recipes with crumb toppings or a glaze. (But I do love those as well!)
I’m pretty sure you’ll fall in love with this Orange Blueberry Bread, too!
How to Make Orange Blueberry Bread
This Orange Blueberry Bread couldn’t be easier! I think that is why I love quick bread recipes so much – they are a breeze to throw together. There are 3 basic steps to follow when making a quick bread:
- Mix together the dry ingredients
- Mix together the wet ingredients
- Gently combine the wet and dry ingredients
The trick with making the perfect quick bread recipe is to not overmix the batter. If you overmix the batter, you will end up with a bread that is not as tender. The more mixing you do, the more the gluten is developed, which makes for a tougher quick bread in the end. You don’t want any dry clumps of flour in the mix, but you want to be very careful not to overmix the batter.
Can you substitute frozen blueberries for fresh blueberries?
Blueberries are one of those items in the produce department that always seem to be really expensive, or really on sale. I think that fresh blueberries are best, but you can definitely substitute frozen blueberries. Frozen blueberries do tend to bleed into the batter more, so do not thaw the blueberries before adding them to the batter. You’ll want to make sure that you fold the blueberries in very gently, whether fresh or frozen, so that they remain big and whole.
How do you know when a quick bread is done?
To test to see if the Orange Blueberry Bread is done, take a wooden skewer and insert it in the center of the bread. You can use a toothpick, but you’ll need to make sure you insert it deep enough to get the center of the bread. I find that a wooden skewer is easier for that, but a toothpick will work if that is what you have on hand. If the tester comes out clean or with only a few moist crumbs stuck to it, the bread will be done. If there is still batter on the tester, let it bake for a few extra minutes. Quick breads will normally crack down the center, so don’t be alarmed if this happens — it’s normal!
Looking for more quick bread recipes?
- This Red Velvet Quick Bread with Cream Cheese Filling is always a show stopper with its bright red color.
- This Chocolate Cinnamon Bread is always a favorite around the holidays, but I think it’s perfect year round!
- Or try this Glazed Lemon Poppyseed Zucchini Bread all summer long while the zucchini is overflowing!
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Orange Blueberry Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 3 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- Zest of one orange
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 1 1/3 cup milk I used 2%
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
Instructions
- Grease the bottom and sides of a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Alternately, line the loaf pan with parchment paper and then spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- In a small bowl, combine the blueberries with 1 tablespoon of the flour and the orange zest. Toss lightly to combine.
- In a large bowl, mix together the remaining 3 cups of flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Make a well in the center of the mix.
- In another bowl, or in a large liquid measuring cup, combine the egg, milk, orange juice and oil.
- Pour the liquid into the well in the center of the dry mixture. Stir just until moistened. (Do not worry about making the batter smooth – there should be some lumps left.) Fold in the blueberry mixture.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake in the preheated oven until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 60 minutes. If the bread starts to get too brown, cover with a piece of foil during the last 10-15 minutes.
- Cool the bread in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and allow to cool completely.
- Bread can be eaten once cooled, or for best results, wrap in plastic wrap and store overnight before serving.
Evelyn says
Absolutely delicious! Thanks for this great recipe.
Emily says
Maybe this could use with one cup less flour, because it tastes floury. Also, to get the full orange flavor, I rubbed the orange peel with the sugar before adding it. The citrus smell and taste is outstanding.
Instead of all that flour, perhaps cut it by 1 cup, then whisk the sugar with 2 eggs until fluffy and light. Add just 2/3 cup the milk and 2/3 cup orange juice, and the 1/4 cup oil. Add to the dry ingredients, then the blueberries and it’ll come out the oven 45 minutes later just lovely.
The way the recipe is written makes it seem like some of the steps are optional. If you follow along, bake the bread in the oven unbothered for 45 min, then cover it loosely with foil and bake for another 25-30 minutes unbothered in the oven. It takes at least 75 minutes for this bread to bake the way the recipe is written. Not really a fan of the orangey raw flour taste. Otherwise, if this was the first bread I ever made, I’d be disappointed. Felt generous with 3 stars, mostly because my blueberries didn’t sink.
Sarah Sinclair says
This recipe was just what I was looking for! We normally buy blueberry orange loaf every weekend at our local farmer’s market, but with Covid and needing to avoid crowds, we’ve forgone our weekend indulgence for a while. This recipe is JUST like our favorite baker’s loaf. While we can’t wait to support our local baker again, your recipe will certainly hold us over until then. And of course we’ll add it to our regular recipe box. Thanks!
Mallory says
My boyfriend and I love this recipe so much, and we make it often! (Reminds me of fruity pebbles cereal) I do add a teaspoon of almond extract to take it to another level.
Kelly l Eastridge says
I wish it had more of an orangy taste
Deborah says
Tried this recipe using almond milk instead of 2% and avocado oil instead of vegetable oil. It was amazing and so easy!
Tammie says
This was my first time really making ANYTHING from scratch. It was fantastic! It was also SUPER easy. It turned out perfect!
Aussie Jo says
I made this in a large loaf pan and it turned out AMAZING! We have so many oranges growing on our tree at the moment, so I have been looking for ways to use them. I had also picked up some local blueberries from our local farmers market a few days ago that desperately needed using. The orange flavour comes through and the bread is not too sweet! The blueberries dispersed evenly and are a great flavour with the orange! I love that it’s a recipe where I would usually have all the ingredients in the pantry or fridge making it quick and easy to whip up. So delicious, thanks for the great recipe. Definitely a keeper for the recipe book 😊😋🤤
Natalie says
This cake looks perfect!
eatme_delicious says
Mmm I love orange zest in baked goods!
Avanika [YumsiliciousBakes] says
I love citrusy desserts too!! This loaf looks delicious 🙂
Chef Dennis says
yumm….our fresh blueberries are out and this would be a great loaf to make with them!
thanks for sharing!
Dennis
Ingrid says
Love berries with citrus. Raspberry and lime is especially yummy.
~ingrid
Jen says
This looks absolutely wonderful! Orange and blueberry are two of my favourite flavours, too…In fact, I was considering whipping up an orange-blueberry (or lemon-blueberry) soup last week.
grace says
it seems like lemon-blueberry is the go-to fruit and citrus combo, but i much prefer orange-blueberry. great-looking loaf, deborah!