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 it?
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 the 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 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 it
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
- 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 (¼ cup) coconut flour instead of 150g (1 ¼ 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 Orange Bread keep for?
It 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
- Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate 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.
Watch how to make it
Vegan Orange Bread (Gluten-Free)
Ingredients
For the bread:
- 60 g (¼ cup) coconut oil (or sub olive or vegetable oil)
- 60 ml (¼ cup) orange juice (freshly squeezed or from a carton)
- 150 ml (â…” 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 ¼ cup) ground almonds (almond meal) **
- 150 g (1 ¼ cup) gluten-free flour blend (or sub plain flour if not gluten-free)
- 2 heaped teaspoons baking powder (ensure gluten-free if necessary)
- ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
For the frosting:
- 100 g (â…” 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.
Video
Notes
Disclosure: This posts contains affiliate links to Amazon. If you purchase any of these products, a small percentage will come to me with no extra cost to you! This income will go towards the running of this blog – thank you.
memeeeee
I don't have a mixed GF flour. I have coconut or almond, which one should I use? Can u purchase almond meal? Please advise. Thanks
Rhian Williams
None of those would work, sorry! you can use white rice flour plus 2 tablespoons tapioca flour though.
Anonymous
Hi Rhiaan ,
Am going to try your gluten free orange loaf now but thought of leaving a comment on the banana bread .
It turned out very well .... the cake vanished in no time .
Thank you
God Bless
Geeta
Rhian Williams
Thank you so much, so happy to hear that!
Rikke
I was looking for an orange loaf recipe to help me veganize another recipe (orange cardamom loaf cake), and I selected Rhian’s recipe as my base. The cake turned out beautifully! All I did to make it the orange cardamom loaf was to add 2 tsp cardamom and 1 tsp cinnamon, and an almond topping. I baked the cake in an 8 inch loaf pan and baked for 50 minutes. The texture is so good - soft and moist, and it only got better the second day. Great recipe!
Rhian Williams
Thank you so much, so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your substitutions, sounds delicious!
Elly
Fantastic recipe, have created this so many times as it’s easy, delicious, vegan and sugar free
Rhian Williams
Thank you so much, so happy to hear that!