A tried-and-tested family favorite of more than 25 years, this recipe for Blueberry Orange Juice Bread yields a moist loaf made with olive oil, citrus and berries!
I love recipes that stand the test of time, especially ones that are passed on from generation to generation, and that’s exactly where you’ll find this recipe for Blueberry Orange Juice Bread.
This recipe started off as a family recipe more than 25 years ago, and it was passed down from my Grandmom to my mom, and now on to me. It’s been tweaked slightly over the years, with my version introducing olive oil to guarantee the moisture factor remains high.
How to Make Bread with Orange Juice
The base of this bread recipe is loaded with tangy citrus flavor courtesy of nearly a cup of orange juice. In addition to pairing beautifully with fresh berries, the zesty beverage provides intense moisture. (Are you sensing the theme here? No dry quickbreads allowed!)
Can You Use Other Mix-Ins?
Absolutely, yes! The beauty of this recipe is that it can be a template for a wide range of mix-ins, from fruits to nuts to chocolate chips. A few of my favorites (aside from blueberries, of course!) are:
- Chocolate chips and chopped walnuts
- Cranberries and fresh orange zest
- Raspberries and chopped pistachios
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2/3 cup orange juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cups blueberries, rinsed and patted dry
- Sanding sugar, for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a 9-inch loaf pan with parchment paper then grease it with cooking spray.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the egg, sugar, olive oil and orange juice.
- Beat in the baking powder, baking soda and salt, then add the flour in two increments and continue mixing just until combined.
- Use a spatula to carefully fold in the blueberries.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan then sprinkle sanding sugar on top (optional). Bake the loaf for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Cool the bread in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove it from the pan and allow it to continue cooling on a rack before slicing and serving.
Nutrition
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Is there a way to make the batter and freeze it for a later date to bake? I have a ton of orange juice I’m trying to use up before traveling. I just don’t want to go to waste. Thanks!
Hi Bianca! Freezing the unbaked batter will cause problems with the leavener so the bread won’t rise. It’s best to bake the bread, cool it completely and then freeze it (ideally in single slices for easy reheating!).
I had a glut of plums last year so I stewed a lot of them and put them in the freezer. Hadn’t a clue what to do with them. Found your simple recipe and replaced orange juice and blueberries with cup of stewed plums and adjusted temperature and time slightly. This has resulted in a nice bread/cake. Thanks.
This bread was SO good, my husband devoured it! Making it again for a church meeting!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Tammie!
Can I use frozen blueberries in this recipe?
Hi Arlene! While fresh is always best, you definitely could use frozen blueberries. There are two schools of thought: Either thaw and drain the frozen berries before adding them, or just mix in the frozen berries and up your baking time by about 5 minutes. I’ve never tried this recipe with frozen blueberries, but I would opt for the thawing/draining method. Hope this helps!
This bread is the BOMB! Thank you!
You are so welcome, Kristi! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
Great recipe! Wondering if orange fruit powder could be used for this kind of recipe instead of orange juice? I suppose that would also give me the more fruit sweetness/tanginess instead of adding too much sugar.
Hi Linda! I’ve never tried that, but eliminating the orange juice will make the batter (and the resulting bread) way too dry.
I usually love your recipes and they are always a hit. I made this bread today and it has no flavor. My taste testers agreed :) It needs vanilla or almond extract or even orange zest to give it a kick. Will try again with some additions….not giving up because we love quick breads.
I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy it, Suzanne.