Vegan Orange Bread (Gluten-Free)

This Vegan Orange Bread is moist and fluffy, sweet and citrusy, and covered in a rich orange buttercream frosting. It comes together in one bowl and is gluten-free and refined sugar free too. Perfect for dessert or an indulgent breakfast or brunch.

How sweet is this orange bread?

This is definitely a sweet bread recipe – it’s similar to an Orange Cake. To make it less sweet, you can halve the amount of maple syrup and omit the frosting.

Tips for baking with oranges

• The orange flavour in this orange bread comes from orange zest and orange juice.
• The orange zest can be replaced with orange extract.
• If using orange zest, make sure to use unwaxed oranges.
• You can either use freshly squeezed orange juice, or orange juice from a carton.
• If you prefer a stronger orange flavour in the bread, you can add some orange extract to the bread batter – instructions in recipe notes.
• If you prefer a stronger orange flavour in the frosting, you can add some orange zest or orange extract to the buttercream – instructions in recipe notes.

How to make this Vegan Orange Bread

Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe.

• Mix together all the ingredients in a glass mixing bowl.

• Transfer the batter into a one-pound loaf tin.

Tip: Make sure to line the loaf tin with greased baking paper – this will make removing the bread from the tin so much easier!

• Bake in the oven for 45 minutes.

• Transfer to a cooling rack to cool down before applying the frosting.

How to make the orange buttercream frosting

• Place cashew nuts, maple syrup and orange juice in a food processor.

Tip: Make sure the cashew nuts are soaked to make them easier to blend. Soak them overnight in cold water or in boiling water for at least 15 minutes.

• Whizz until completely smooth.

Tip: You will have to mix it around a few times to make it easier to blend up.

• Use a knife (or palette knife for frosting) to spread the frosting over the top of the loaf.

How to decorate this Orange Bread

I used chopped pistachio nuts, but you can use anything you like – clementine segments, sprigs of rosemary or mint, orange slices or freeze-dried raspberries all work well!

Substitutions you can make to this recipe:

• You can use any type of oil: coconut oil, olive oil or vegetable oil.
• The orange juice can be freshly squeezed or from a carton.
• The orange zest can be replaced with orange extract.
• You can use any type of plant-based milk: almond milk, rice milk, soy milk, cashew milk, oat milk etc.
• You can use any type of liquid sweetener: maple syrup, agave syrup, brown rice syrup etc.
• You can replace the ground almonds (almond meal) with ground walnuts.
• For a nut-free version: replace the ground almonds (almond meal) with ground sunflower seeds or use 30g (1/4 cup) coconut flour instead of 150g (1 1/4 cup) ground almonds.
• You can use plain flour, wholemeal (whole wheat) flour or spelt flour instead of the gluten-free flour if you’re not gluten-free.

Ingredients you can mix into the batter:

• Chocolate chips.
• Dried cranberries.
• Fresh or frozen fruit like blueberries or raspberries.

How long does this Vegan Orange Bread keep for?

This Orange Bread definitely tastes best when fresh, but keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days.

More vegan sweet bread recipes:

• Gluten-Free Vegan Pumpkin Bread
• Gluten-Free Vegan Blueberry Banana Bread
• Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Pumpkin Bread
• Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Banana Bread
• Gluten-Free Vegan Zucchini Bread
• Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Bread
• Gluten-Free Vegan Apple Bread
• Gluten-Free Vegan Carrot Bread
• Gluten-Free Vegan Lemon Bread

If you try out this recipe or anything else from my blog, I’d really love to hear any feedback! Please give it a rating, leave a comment, or tag a photo @rhiansrecipes #rhiansrecipes on Instagram! Thank you.

Vegan Orange Bread (Gluten-Free)

This Vegan Orange Bread is moist and fluffy, sweet and citrusy, and covered in a rich orange buttercream frosting. It comes together in one bowl and the recipe is easily customisable. It's gluten-free and refined sugar free too! Perfect for dessert or an indulgent breakfast or brunch.

4.13 from 24 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: gluten-free orange cake, vegan orange bread, vegan orange cake

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings: 10 slices

Calories: 300kcal

Author: Rhian Williams

Ingredients

For the bread:

• 60 g (1/4 cup) coconut oil (or sub olive or vegetable oil)
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) orange juice (freshly squeezed or from a carton)
• 150 ml (2/3 cup) unsweetened almond milk (or any other plant-based milk)
• 2 tablespoons orange zest (use unwaxed oranges – or sub 2 teaspoons orange extract) *
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 8 tablespoons maple syrup (or sub any other sweetener)
• 150 g (1 1/4 cup) ground almonds (almond meal) **
• 150 g (1 1/4 cup) gluten-free flour blend (or sub plain flour if not gluten-free)
• 2 heaped teaspoons baking powder (ensure gluten-free if necessary)
• 1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

For the frosting:

• 100 g (2/3 cup) raw cashew nuts soaked in cold water overnight or in hot water for 15 minutes
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup (or sub any other sweetener)
• 4 tablespoons orange juice

To decorate (optional):

• Pistachio nuts , roughly chopped

Instructions

For the bread:

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit)
• Place the coconut oil in a large bowl and melt over a saucepan of boiling water or in the microwave (skip this step if using any other oil)
• Once melted, add the orange juice to the same bowl along with the milk, orange zest, vanilla, maple syrup and ground almonds

• Sift in the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda
• Mix well, adding a tiny splash more milk if it’s looking too dry
• Transfer mixture into a loaf tin lined with greased baking paper (I used a one-pound loaf tin)
• Bake in the oven for 45 minutes until risen and golden brown and an inserted skewer comes out clean
• 
Once out the oven, transfer the loaf from the baking tin onto a wired rack to leave it to cool completely before applying the frosting

For the frosting:

• Drain soaked cashews and add to a food processor or blender with all the other ingredients
• 
Whizz until completely smooth, adding more orange juice or water to thin out if necessary

To frost and decorate:

• Use a knife (or palette knife) to spread frosting over the top of the loaf
• Decorate with chopped pistachios, if desired

• Tastes best when fresh, but keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days

Notes

*For a stronger orange flavour, add an extra teaspoon of orange extract as well as the orange zest. Or if using orange extract instead of orange zest, use 3 teaspoons of orange extract. You can also add a few drops of orange extract to the buttercream.

**You can alternatively use almond flour.

This is definitely a sweet recipe – it’s similar to Orange Cake. To make it less sweet, you can halve the amount of maple syrup and omit the frosting.

Nutrition Facts

Vegan Orange Bread (Gluten-Free)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 300 Calories from Fat 162

% Daily Value*

Fat 18g28%

Saturated Fat 6g30%

Sodium 50mg2%

Potassium 157mg4%

Carbohydrates 31g10%

Fiber 3g12%

Sugar 15g17%

Protein 7g14%

Vitamin A 31IU1%

Vitamin C 8mg10%

Calcium 94mg9%

Iron 2mg11%

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

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