Cinnamon Orange Raisin Bread

A bread like no other. Try today.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Cake, Dessert, Loaf

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings servings

Calories 228kcal

Author Jen

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

US Customary - Metric

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 :D 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 minutes
Because 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.

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