We share share share, but cinnamon raisin bread caused a stir, a true Wonka Bar moment. Embarrassing to admit, I had to rip from the grips to give to my very own dad.
Get this, the offer came with stipulation, “how many pieces will you eat? You don’t like raisins, so are you sure you’ll eat the bread? Okay, but how many can you actually see yourself eating?”
Talk about talking someone out of dessert. Who had we become? Interrogators, that’s who.
We delivered, hovering my dad like vultures, making sure he ate the bread. Raisins and all, my dad immediately asked for a second piece. Dave and I turned to each other, “damn!” A knee JERK reaction, as my dad drops and does anything for us. Selfish subsided. As I served the second piece meatball moments returned—the high of making and seeing him eat are what life is about.
But seriously, this bread.
Since birth, cinnamon raisin bread holds a special place in my heart. The sight, the smell sends a rush, an actual flutter. Because of the intensity,
1.) I have two speeds take or leave. If taken, bread has to be exceptional.
2.) Self control flatlines. Bread and I can’t be trusted in the same room.
3.) I rarely buy or make because I eat the whole dang loaf.
With many cinnamon raisin breads to choose from, we hope you share our love of:
- Crunchy on the outside, cake-y with structure on the inside
- Whole wheat pastry and white whole wheat make a 100% whole grain bread
- Unsweetened applesauce cuts half the butter for increased moisture/fiber and reduces fat/calories
- Plump and ample but not too many raisins
- The perfect amount of spice
- What? What’s that you say? A dash of clove and zing of orange pushes this bread into Wonka Bar status.
- Crunch on top by way of sugar and nuts
Easy To Make!
plump raisins ~ whisk dry ~ mix wet ~ combine ~ top with sugar/spice/nuts ~ bake
Slice and Eat
Warm, cool, with butter, or cream cheese.
This bread. All ways.
Someone has a crush.
If you like Cinnamon Raisin Orange Bread, maybe you’ll fall for spiced banana bread, hazelnut raisin pumpkin, or pear almond.
Cinnamon Orange Raisin Bread
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour
- 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground clove
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter - room temperature
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup cane sugar
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs - room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
- 1/2 cup almond milk
- 1/2 cup raisins - plumped then dusted to prevent sinking
Topping
- 1/2 teaspoon cane/brown/turbinado/coconut sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- crushed pecans/walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Line a 8½ x 4½ loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside. Plump raisins by submerging in hot water for 15 minutes, then drain, pat dry and set aside.
- Whisk together flour(s), baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and clove. Set aside.
- Mix topping ingredients: sugar(s) and spices. Set aside.
- Add butter, applesauce and both sugars to a medium bowl. With a hand or stand mixer, beat on medium for about three minutes, until smooth and creamy. Make sure to scrape those sides down. Turn the mixer to low, add one egg at a time until incorporated (we don't want to overmix here), then vanilla and orange zest, beat again until just incorporated but smooth.
- With your mixer still on low, alternate adding flour and milk, beginning and ending with flour. But! Reserve a tad of flour for tossing the raisins in just a second 😀 Mix until just incorporated. Light flour dust the raisins, then stir until just combined.
- Taste the batter. Is it amazing and to your liking? If not, add more sugar or spice, then pour into the prepared pan. Sprinkle sugar/spice/nuts, then on a folded dishtowel, tap the loaf pan down a couple times to distribute the batter evenly.
- Bake on the center rack for 50-55 minutesBecause ovens vary, begin checking five minutes prior to the earlier finish time. Bake until the bread is just set and a toothpick comes out with very few crumbs or clean. It's better for the bread to be underdone and able to continue baking on the counter, then overdone.
- Remove pan from the oven and let stand on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove the bread (with parchment attached and continue cooling on the wire rack.
- Warm, cool, with butter, or cream cheese—this bread...forever and all ways.
Notes
- All butter can be used instead of half applesauce and butter.
- All purpose, white whole wheat, whole wheat pastry flour, or a combination can be used in this recipe.
- To prevent the raisins from sinking, dust with a small amount of reserved flour, then stir into the batter before baking.
- I'm a sucker for a crunchy top, so add turbinado/coconut/ brown sugar and a complementary spice like clove, cinnamon or nutmeg.
- For crunchy on the out and soft on the in, leave bread on a rack loose tented with foil. For soft inside and out, store airtight.
Hi Jen,
It’s Mom. Wish i have some, yummy.
Ingredients make my mouth water. How about a sample?
Hi Mom,
Wish granted. A loaf will arrive with your grocery delivery ❤︎