Apricot Cranberry Walnut Quick Bread

It’s time for yet another Bread Bakers challenge. This month’s host is Mireille of The Schizo Chef and she suggested stone fruits as the theme. Stone fruits are not in season now as winter has started in this part of the world. So the only option left was to use dried stone fruits. If you love baking bread and want to join this wonderful bread baking group, scroll to the end of the post for further details.

I decided to bake a bread with apricots, but none of the recipes appealed to me much. Finally I settled on this recipe from King Arthur Flour. I was bit apprehensive about the recipe because of the amount of sugar, butter and number of eggs but nevertheless decided to give a try because the reviews for the bread were good.  I’m so glad I tried it because this is definitely one of the best quick breads. Soaking the dried fruits kept the bread moist and the bread was not overly sweet with a nice hint of orange. If you love fruits breads then give this apricot cranberry walnut quick bread a try.

apricotcranberrywalnutquickbread
apricotcranberrywalnutquickbread

Apricot Cranberry Walnut Quick Bread

Servings 9 x 5 loaf
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup chopped dried apricots
  • ½ cup dried cranberry
  • 113 grams / ½ cup butter at room temperature
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp nutmeg
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • Zest of 1 orange
  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup milk
  • ½ cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 180 C | 350 F. Grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper.
  • Soak the apricots and cranberry in hot water for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating until fluffy after each addition.
  • Add baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, orange zest and beat until well blended.
  • Stir in the flour and then add the milk ¼ cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. Fold in the apricots, cranberries and nuts.
  • Pour the batter into loaf pan. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing it from the pan to cool completely on a wire rack.

Notes

  • Soaking the dried fruits plumps them and keeps the bread moist. Do not soak for more than 15-20 minutes.
  • You can use pecans or any other nuts instead of walnuts.
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American

Did you make this recipe?

Leave a comment below to let me know how it turned out for you! Or snap a photo and tag @spillthespices on Instagram and Facebook with the hashtag #spillthespices.

#BreadBakers – Stone Fruit

Join the Conversation

  1. Great minds and all that….I fell in love with apricot quick bread and can just imagine the goodness added by the cherries.

  2. Your bread is so packed full of yummy fruit! I'd love to have a slice of it toasted with a little butter on it for breakfast.

  3. Beautiful bread and so chock-full of fruit. I'm sure it tastes as good as it looks!

  4. Sounds like a lovely flavoured bread. Laura@ Baking in Pyjamas

  5. bread looks awesome and yummy…can I have a slice ??

  6. ohh my god…I am so tempted…Give me a piece na plzz…looks so good

  7. looks yum and densed…

  8. wow ! looks so good for a quick snack / breakfast with a glass of milk…

  9. That is an amazing looking bread Sona! I love anything with apricots… wish I could get a couple of slices couriered into here… 😉

  10. different flavors and bread looks so appetizng

  11. Baking with dried fruits was a good idea– here stone fruits are in season but I still use dried fruits now and then too. Your bread looks great!

  12. What a lovely quick bread! Sweet and tangy with the combo of apricots and cranberries!

  13. Your bread is packed with all the good stuff!

  14. A bread full of fruits sounds really yummy and delicious. Can't wait to try it out real soon!

  15. That bread looks so festive! Beautiful colors!

  16. this bread is a work of art with those beautiful fruit peeking out

  17. What a colorful, moist and yummy looking bread you got Sona. Looks awesome.

  18. Tempting bread…..! Colorful and beautiful…… 🙂

  19. Josephine B says:

    I just wish people would leave a comment after they’ve actually tried the recipe then we’d all be more encouraged to make it. Even after having said that I’ll definitely be making this cake in the near future. Thank you for posting it.

  20. I made this! Super easy and delicious. I used vegetable oil instead of butter, but I don’t think this changed the end result. Next time, I might soak the fruit in some dark rum as it very similar to a Christmas bread and I think it would take it to the next level.

  21. Lesley Kretai says:

    I’ve made this quick bread before and plan on making it again right now! It’s delicious and satisfies my significant other’s love of “fruit cake” without it being too “fruit cake-y.”

  22. Turned out great! Similar tasting to fruit cake. Tasted better the next day. I used just over half the sugar (dark brown sugar) as apricots are sweet as it is. Great way to use up dried apricots. Will make it again.

  23. Will this recipe freeze?

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