Orange Oatmeal Bread

This is one lovely bread, well, not quite a bread, it is a cross between a bread and a cake. But since this recipe is from a book on breads, then I suppose, it is to be called a bread! Whatever name it is called, this is one healthy and yummy bread. It only uses 2 tablespoons of butter, and I just cannot believe just how moist the bread is. 

All the healthy goodness of oats and fresh orange (zest and flesh), goes into this lovely bread. Instead of milk, this recipe uses warm water, and when I cut the orange, I collected all the juices from the orange and used that too. I did not use the extra 2 tablespoons of sugar (for the orange) as indicated in the recipe, I took the 2 tablespoons of sugar from the 3/4 cup meant for the batter. Even then, this bread is a little too sweet for me. When I make this again, I will definitely reduce the sugar.

I use one large orange, so fragrant and juicy. The zest, flesh and juices from the oranges are mixed together with 2 tablespoons of sugar and left for awhile to macerate so that the orange get soaked in its own juices, before they are mixed with the rest of the wet ingredients.

The wet ingredients are then mixed into the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Bake for about an hour. Smells incredibly nice while baking!

I sliced the bread while it is still warm, and it is a little crumbly, so very moist, and soft. The oats makes the bread a little chewy with interesting texture and the oranges is just delightful. 

Look at the bits of oranges and oats in it! A slice of this moist bread is perfect with a cup of tea.

I'm sharing this with :
BYOB, Bake Your Own Bread hosted by Girlichef
Quick Bread Monday hosted by Cake Duchess
Recipe Box hosted by Bizzy Bakes
Full Plate Thursday hosted by Miz Helen's Country Cottage
See Ya In The Gumbo hosted by Ms. enPlace



Orange Oatmeal Bread
(adapted from "Bernard Clayton's New Complete Book of Breads")
1 orange
2 tablespoons plus 3/4 cup sugar (I use 3/4 cup only, 2 tablespoons taken from the 3/4 cup)**
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup rolled oats
2 eggs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2/3 cup warm water (105-115 degrees)

Baking Pan : 1 large (9"x5") or 2 small (7"x3") baking pans, buttered, then lined with buttered wax paper along sides and bottom.

Grate the orange for its zest, then peel. Reserve zest. Cut off the outer white membrane and, with a sharp knife, cut the meat out of each section, leaving the tough sectional membranes intact. Discard the membranes and seeds. Cut the flesh into small pieces and add the orange zest. Sprinkle with the 2 tablespoons sugar and mix well. Set aside.

In a large bowl measure the flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Stir in the rolled oats. In a separate bowl lightly beat the eggs and mix with the melted butter, reserved orange mixture, and water. Blend the liquid into the dry ingredients. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees while letting the pan(s) rest for 10 minutes.

Bake the loaf or loaves in the oven until a wooden toothpick or cake testing pin inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean and dry, 1 hour. The baking time will be about 15 minutes less for small loaves.
(If using convection oven, reduce heat 50 degrees and bake the large loaves for 50 minutes and the smaller ones for 35 minutes).

Remove the bread from the oven. Carefully remove the bread from the pan(s), tugging gently on the wax paper to loosen it. Allow to cool slightly on a metal rack before serving.
Delicious served warm, spread with sweet butter.


kitchen flavour's notes :
** to reduce the amount of sugar, as it is still very sweet