Apricot Bread

Apricot bread is a lovely recipe for when you want a little dose of sweetness in your life. That said, it’s not excessively sweet, so it’s perfect to serve alongside coffee and tea if you’re entertaining guests or having an afternoon snack.

This recipe is right up there with classics like pumpkin bread as one of our favorite fall bread recipes. Top it with whipped honey cinnamon butter, or simply enjoy it as is.

Ingredients for Apricot Bread

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• Dried apricots: Chewy and sweet, dried apricots won’t make your bread soggy. Reserve using fresh apricots for desserts like apricot cobbler.
• Sugar: Use granulated white sugar or brown sugar in this recipe. The latter is mixed with molasses, so it’s moist and more complex in flavor.
• Butter: Any fat acts as a binder, and butter is no exception. Learning how to cream butter and sugar is useful for making the best baked goods.
• Egg: Because it has both fat and protein, the egg does double-duty here, serving to bind the ingredients and give structure to the bread.
• Orange juice: Not only does orange juice impart a subtle, citrus flavor, but because it’s acidic, it helps activate the leavening agents in this recipe.
• All-purpose flour: As the name implies, all-purpose flour is versatile. It has an average amount of protein, so your baked goods won’t be too crumby or too dense.
• Baking powder: This ingredient contains a mixture of baking soda and an acidic ingredient, often cream of tartar. As a result, it’s great for recipes that don’t have much tartness to them.
• Baking soda: Because it’s alkaline, baking soda reacts with acidic ingredients to create air bubbles. In effect, this is what helps leaven baked goods so they turn out nice and airy.
• Nuts: Any chopped nut will do, but we love almonds, pecans or pistachios in this apricot bread recipe.

Directions

Step 1: Soak the apricots

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Soak the apricots in a bowl of warm water for 30 minutes.

Step 2: Mix the wet ingredients

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In a separate bowl, cream the sugar, butter and egg. Stir in the orange juice.

Step 3: Combine the dry ingredients, then combine everything

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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir this dry mixture into the wet mixture until just combined. Drain the apricots well, then fold them into the batter along with the chopped nuts.

Editor’s Tip: Be careful not to overmix your batter. Simply combine the ingredients until the lumps of flour have dissolved.

Step 4: Bake the bread

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Pour the batter into a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan. Bake for 55 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing it to a wire rack.

Apricot Bread Variations

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• Mix in fresh fruit: If this appeals to you, follow a recipe that uses fresh fruit (like this pear bread) and fold the dried apricots into it. This way, you make sure the texture of the bread isn’t drastically affected.
• Spice it up: For extra flavor and aroma, why not toss some spices into the mix? Cardamom, ginger, turmeric or any other warming spice would complement this apricot bread wonderfully.

How to Store Apricot Bread

To store any leftovers, place the bread in an airtight container and keep it in a dry, cool place for up to five days. Avoid placing it in the fridge because this will draw out the moisture from the apricot bread. Alternatively, you can use a bread box and learn some other tips for how to keep bread fresh.

Can I freeze apricot nut bread?

To freeze apricot bread, wrap it in foil and place it in an airtight container or freezer bag. Keep it in the freezer for up to three months. Some other handy tips include labeling the bag with the date that you froze it, and storing it away from the freezer fan to avoid freezer burn.

Apricot Bread Tips

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What’s the secret to making good bread?

Most important, don’t overmix your batter! This can cause the gluten networks to become too strong, yielding a bread that’s tough and too chewy.

What are common mistakes in making bread?

Avoid packing down the flour or any other ingredient as you measure, and if you want complete assurance, use a kitchen scale. Also, use the oven light to check on your bread instead of opening the oven door, as a wild change in temperature affects how the bread bakes.

What complements apricots well?

Due to their mild flavor, apricots pair well with a variety of ingredients. For example, vanilla or almond extracts, citrus zest, date syrup or even an orange liqueur like Grand Marnier.