Orange Bread Recipe

Moist and flavorful orange bread made with sour cream and fresh oranges. Easy to bake, perfect for gift giving, and freezer-friendly.

Fresh oranges are the star of this simple loaf, and the process of zesting and juicing them fills the kitchen with the best scent. The batter comes together in one bowl, and there’s no need for a mixer. It bakes beautifully in small bread pans, which makes it especially nice for sharing. This orange bread is a lovely option for gift giving, and if you want to dress it up, add one of my dried orange slices to the wrapping. More on that, along with a custom printable gift tag, at the end of the post.

What You’ll Need

• Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness and helps the loaves brown.
• Sour cream (not light): Gives the bread a soft, moist texture.
• Canola oil: Keeps the crumb tender and blends smoothly into the batter.
• Eggs: Provide structure and help the bread rise.
• Orange juice + zest: Fresh flavor and a bright citrus scent.
• Vanilla extract + orange extract or emulsion: Warm, balanced flavor to complement the citrus.
• All purpose flour: Creates a sturdy but tender loaf.
• Baking powder, baking soda + salt: These help the loaves rise and keep the flavor balanced.

The Simple Steps

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Prepare 3 small loaf pans with Baker’s Joy or butter/flour. Set aside. (Use mini loaf pans that measure 5.5 x 3 x 2.25 inches.)
• To a large bowl add the sugar, sour cream, oil, eggs, orange juice, orange zest, vanilla extract, and orange emulsion.
• Whisk until well combined.
• In a separate bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir with a spatula until all is combined.

• Using a large cookie scoop, divide the batter between the 3 bread pans.
• Place the small bread pans on a baking sheet for easier handling in and out of the oven.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes. Loaves are done when they are golden brown, and a sharp knife inserted in the middle of a loaf comes out clean.
• Let pans rest on a cooling rack for 5 minutes.
• Remove bread from pans.
• Cool completely before slicing.

Tips + Substitutions

• Plain Greek yogurt can be used in place of the sour cream.
• Any neutral oil will work. Vegetable oil or refined coconut oil are both good choices.
• If you prefer to use orange extract instead of orange emulsion, that works too.
• I tested this orange bread recipe using small loaf pans, and they bake much more evenly than one large loaf. The smaller size also makes them simple to share.
• Store the bread in an airtight container or a resealable plastic bag at room temperature for up to 2 days. After that, it’s best to refrigerate.
• The loaves freeze well. Wrap each one in Press-n-Seal, place them in a freezer bag, and thaw at room temperature when you’re ready to enjoy them.

How To Package Orange Bread For Gift Giving

• When the loaves are completely cool, wrap each one in plastic wrap.
• Cut a piece of parchment paper or kraft wrapping paper, and make a simple sleeve by folding it around the center of the loaf.
• Secure it on the bottom with a small piece of tape.
• Embellish with ribbon or twine, fresh greenery, a dried orange slice, and a gift tag.
• Another idea is to place the wrapped loaf in a cellophane bag. Add a dried orange slice, tie the bag with twine, and finish with a gift tag.
• To get custom printable gift tags for this bread, just fill out the form at the end of the post!

Orange Bread Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Resting time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 24 slices

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Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 4 oz. sour cream
• ▢ 1/2 cup canola oil (or your preferred neutral oil)
• ▢ 2 eggs
• ▢ 1/4 cup orange juice (freshly squeezed)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons orange zest
• ▢ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ▢ 2 teaspoons orange emulsion (or orange extract)
• ▢ 2 cups all purpose flour
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Prepare 3 small loaf pans with Baker's Joy or butter/flour. Set aside. (Use mini loaf pans that measure 5.5 x 3 x 2.25 inches.)
• To a large bowl add the sugar, sour cream, oil, eggs, orange juice, orange zest, vanilla extract, and orange emulsion.
• Whisk until well combined.
• In a separate bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir with a spatula until all is combined.
• Using a large cookie scoop, divide the batter between the 3 bread pans.
• Place the small bread pans on a baking sheet for easier handling in and out of the oven.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes. Loaves are done when they are golden brown, and a sharp knife inserted in the middle of a loaf comes out clean.
• Let pans rest on a cooling rack for 5 minutes.
• Remove bread from pans.
• Cool completely before slicing.

Notes

• The nutrition information is based on each loaf yielding 8 slices.
• You will need 2 medium naval oranges. 1 medium naval orange yields about 1 tablespoon of zest, and 1/4 cup juice. 

Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts

Orange Bread Recipe

Serving Size

 

1 slice

Amount per Serving

Calories

120

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

6

g

9

%

Cholesterol

 

16

mg

5

%

Sodium

 

119

mg

5

%

Potassium

 

29

mg

1

%

Carbohydrates

 

15

g

5

%

Fiber

 

0.3

g

1

%

Sugar

 

7

g

8

%

Protein

 

2

g

4

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Author: Ann Drake

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I’m sharing three different gift tag designs, and all you have to do is fill out the form below. The tags will be sent straight to your email so you can print them at home. These little loaves are simple to make, and they freeze beautifully, so you can have them ready whenever you need a thoughtful treat. Let them be the gift you share with friends and family this season. A small piece of your kitchen…and your heart.

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ORANGE BREAD GIFT TAGS

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to add a custom touch to your baked goods!

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