Orange Bread Moist Flavor (Printable)

Tender, fragrant orange-flavored quick bread ideal for breakfast or a satisfying snack.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
04 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
05 - ½ teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

06 - 2 large eggs
07 - ½ cup vegetable oil
08 - ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice (about 2 large oranges)
09 - ¼ cup milk
10 - 2 tablespoons orange zest (from about 2 oranges)
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Optional

12 - ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
13 - ½ cup mini chocolate chips

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, vegetable oil, orange juice, milk, orange zest, and vanilla extract until fully blended.
04 - Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
05 - Fold in walnuts, pecans, or mini chocolate chips if desired.
06 - Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top evenly.
07 - Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
08 - Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely prior to slicing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's foolproof enough for beginners but tastes impressive enough to make you feel like a baker
  • The fresh orange juice and zest create a flavor that makes people stop mid-bite and ask for the recipe
  • Your kitchen will smell like a citrus dream for hours afterward
  • It bridges breakfast, snack time, and dessert beautifully—no one will judge you for eating it at 3 PM
02 -
  • Don't skip the 10-minute pan rest—it's the difference between a beautiful slice and a crumbly pile. I learned this the hard way and ruined three loaves before understanding why
  • Overmixing is the silent killer of quick breads. Mix until the flour just disappears, and you're done. The batter should look slightly lumpy, and that's perfect
  • Fresh-squeezed orange juice genuinely changes everything. Bottled works, but there's a brightness that only fresh juice brings
03 -
  • Room temperature eggs and milk mix more smoothly into the batter, creating a more homogeneous and tender crumb
  • Use a microplane zester to get the finest, most flavorful orange zest without any bitter white pith—this single tool makes a noticeable difference
  • If your loaf is browning too quickly on top but the center isn't done, loosely tent it with foil for the last 10 minutes to prevent over-browning

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