Spiced Orange Quick Bread

I love baking with citrus, especially anytime in December through April when citrus is fresh and locally grown in California. Something was divinely planned to have sweet oranges ripen in the middle of winter. Baking with citrus, like this refreshing spiced orange quick bread, helps me get through the frigid temperatures until spring rolls around.

This orange cardamom bread has an amazing orange flavor, thanks to zest from fresh oranges in both the batter and the orange glaze that gets poured on top of the quick bread loaves after baking. The glaze is sweet and brings this bread to basically an orange cardamom loaf cake status - eat this as a quick bread for breakfast or snack on it after dinner and it's a cake! What's not too love about an easy, versatile, quick bread recipe that is full of citrus flavor and easy to make!?

Why You Should Make This Recipe

Full of aromatic cardamom and fresh orange zest and juice, this quick bread is moist, bursting with flavor and easy to make. The orange glaze on top of the bread sends this recipe over the top! This recipe also makes 2 loaves so you have one to enjoy and another one to share or freeze for later!

Orange Quick Bread Ingredients

• Granulated Sugar
• Buttermilk
• Vegetable Oil
• Eggs
• Fresh Oranges - both the zest and juice from fresh whole oranges will be used, so zest the orange before cutting them in half to squeeze
• Vanilla
• All-Purpose Flour
• Kosher Salt
• Baking Powder
• Ground Cardamom
• Powdered Sugar (Confectioners' Sugar)

See the recipe card below for quantities.

How to Make Easy Orange Bread

Making this great recipe for orange bread is easy and fast. First, start by preheating your oven and preparing two 8x4 inch loaf pans by lining with parchment paper and lightly greasing. I love these loaf pans from USA PAN – and they are made in America!

1. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the granulated sugar, buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, 2 tablespoons of orange zest and vanilla until combined.
2. Next, in a separate bowl, whisk the dry ingredients (all-purpose flour, kosher salt, baking powder and ground cardamom) together.
3. Carefully and slowly mix the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until batter is smooth. Lastly, pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake, loosely tented with aluminum foil, for about 30 minutes, or until an inserted wooden toothpick comes out clean.
4. Let bread cool completely. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, remaining 2 teaspoons of orange zest and fresh orange juice. Pour the sweet orange glaze over the two loaves and dare yourself not to immediate dive into this spiced orange loaf cake!

Quick Bread Storage

1. Allow the scrumptious and moist orange loaves to cool in pans for at least 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled and glazed, wrap the bread in plastic wrap and store leftover bread at room temperature for 1 day or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
2. To freeze: Once the bread is baked and is completely cooled, double wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a zip top freezer bag and freeze for up to three months.

Tips for Loaf Bread Success

• For best results and easier ingredient incorporation, bring all refrigerated ingredients to room temperature.
• Make sure loaves cool down completely before pouring on the orange glaze.
• To get a strong orange flavor, simply zest the orange peel of the fresh oranges with a zester. Make sure you are using unwaxed oranges. If your oranges are waxed, run them under warm running water and use a vegetable brush to scrub it off. Dry the oranges completely before zesting.

More Breakfast Recipes You'll Love