This Vegan Fruit and Nut Bread recipe is a quick and easy tea loaf that’s healthy, delicious, and gluten-free! It contains a lot of fiber which makes you feel energized, happy, and satisfied. The perfect quick bread for breakfast or as an afternoon tea time snack!
Vegan fruit bread, nut loaf, spice bread – all in one!
Whether classic nut bread, sweet fruit bread, or spice bread – all of these loaves are popular winter treats which you can easily make from scratch without eggs! And if you can’t decide which loaf you would like to make, simply combine them all in one, as I did in this nut fruit bread recipe! That’s clever, right?! 😉
A versatile basic recipe
Since this basic recipe is very versatile and adaptable, you can definitely mix and match the ingredients however you desire!
Depending on your preferences, you can use more or less dried fruit, or only nuts, or only seeds if you want this bread to be nut-free. Aside from that, other Christmas spices, chopped apples, or other varieties of fresh fruit are a great addition, too!
Wholesome healthy ingredients
This recipe contains only healthy, wholesome ingredients, no refined sugar, and no dairy products. Thanks to the high content of dried fruits, nuts, and seeds, this fruit bread is rich in fiber and important nutrients that supply your body with energy and keep you fit!
When it comes to choosing the ingredients, I recommend checking the quality and origin of the products to get the best nutritional value.
For this bread recipe, I prefer using soft dried fruits, raw nuts, and seeds from organic brands that offer high-quality foods. I really love that you can order these online so there’s no need to buy fresh ones at a store. That being said, this nut fruit bread requires only simple pantry staple ingredients that are easy to find and can be kept for long periods in your cupboard. Furthermore, this is also a great way to use up leftover dried fruit, nuts, and more!
Nut fruit cake vs. nut fruit bread
In contrast to nut or fruit cake, this bread recipe contains much less fat and almost no extra sugar, so you can enjoy it at any time of day without feeling guilty. It tastes very delicious with dairy-free yogurt or vegan cream cheese, nut butter and maple syrup on top, but it can also be enjoyed without any topping. I also like to dip it into a freshly brewed tea or coffee. My favorite hot drinks are creamy Matcha latte or whipped Dalgona coffee.
How to make vegan fruit bread
Step 1: Prepare everything.
Before you start with the recipe, prepare everything you need so far. First, preheat the oven to 356°F (180°C). Next, grease a loaf pan and line it with parchment paper. Then roughly chop the nuts and dried fruit and set them aside.
Step 2: Make the batter.
Now make the batter. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and coconut sugar. In a measuring cup, stir together the orange juice with water and oil. Pour this mixture into the flour mixture and mix everything until just combined. Finally, fold in the chopped nuts, dried fruit, and seeds.
Baking tip: In this step, it is important to stir the batter until the ingredients have just combined. If you stir it too long and too vigorously, the bread will be very dense! The batter doesn’t need to be completely smooth – a few lumps are fine. Also, please do not use an electric hand mixer, just a whisk or spatula.
Step 3: Add the batter into the pan and bake!
When the batter is ready, add it immediately into the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top.
Baking Tip: Tap the loaf pan gently against the work surface a few times so that the batter spreads out evenly. This also helps to get rid of any air bubbles which often cause holes in the bread.
Now you can sprinkle your vegan fruit bread with more pepitas and sunflower seeds if you like, then bake for 45-60 minutes. Once done baking, let it cool completely. Then slice and enjoy!
How to store Vegan Fruit Bread?
Homemade vegan nut fruit bread should ideally be stored in a cool and airtight place. It is best to put it in an airtight container or wrap it in cling wrap, then keep it in the refrigerator for a few days. If it gets dry after a few days, gently warm your slice in the microwave for a few seconds to soften before eating it.
How can I freeze bread?
You can easily freeze this vegan tea loaf in a freezer-safe container or ziplock bag as a whole or in portions. Simply separate individual slices of bread with a piece of parchment paper, then stack them up and place them in a freezer bag. This way you can easily remove the slices separately and thaw them whenever you like.
This Vegan Nut Fruit Bread is:
- Egg-less
- Dairy-free (lactose-free)
- Can be made gluten-free
- Simple
- Delicious
- Satisfying
- Nutrient-rich
- Refined sugar-free
- Naturally sweetened
- Perfect for breakfast or as an energy snack!
More simple vegan baking recipes for the Christmas holidays:
I have so many delicious vegan baking recipes for the fall and winter season here on the blog – from breakfast, snacks, and small desserts to delicious tarts, pies, and large cakes. Here are some of my favorites:
- Vegan Cinnamon Rolls
- Apple Pie French Toast Roll-Ups
- Apple Blondies with Caramel
- Vegan Apple Cake with Cinnamon Streusel
- Mini Apple Pies
- Vegan Gingerbread Cookies
- Linzer Cookies
- Vegan Chocolate Cookie Butter Cake
- Torta della Nonna
If you try this vegan fruit nut tea loaf, please leave me a comment and a star rating on how you liked this easy recipe! And if you take a picture of your flavorful bread and share it on Instagram, please tag me @biancazapatka and use the hashtag #biancazapatka, because I love to see your remakes! Happy baking!
Vegan Fruit and Nut Bread
Author:You do not have a fitting cake pan at hand right now? Try my Cake Pan Conversion Calculator!
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ cup (200 g) nuts pecans or walnuts & hazelnuts*
- 2 cup (300 g) dried fruits apricots, dates, raisins & figs*
- 2 cups (250 g) spelt flour or all-purpose or gluten-free oat flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp coconut sugar or other sugar/syrup
- ¼ cup (60 ml) orange juice or other fruit juice
- ¾ cup (180 ml) water
- ¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil or sub applesauce if oil-free*
- 1 cup (100 g) pepitas & sunflower seeds mixed + more to sprinkle
Instructions
*Note: For the best results, be sure to measure the ingredients in grams. Simply click on the word "metric" right above the ingredient list! Also, check out the step-by-step photos + tips above!
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F (175˚C). Grease and line a 25-cm or 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on both sides.
- Roughly chop the nuts and dried fruits. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and coconut sugar.
- In a measuring cup, stir together the orange or mandarin juice, water, and oil. Then add it to the flour mixture and stir briefly until just combined. Finally, fold in the chopped nuts, dried fruits, sunflower seeds, and pepitas.
- Add the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top. (Tip: tap the pan gently against the work surface a few times so the batter spreads out evenly). Sprinkle with more seeds and pepitas as desired and bake for 45-60 minutes. (After 45 minutes, check by doing a chopstick test).
- Allow to cool completely. Then slice and enjoy!
Notes
- This basic recipe is very versatile, so feel free to mix and match the ingredients to your liking. Use any dried fruit and any nuts/seeds/kernels (just be sure the dried fruits are on the soft side and not too hard). Also, other Christmas spices, chopped apples, or other fresh fruit are a great addition. (The consistency of the batter should be pretty thick but still pourable as shown in the step-by-step pictures above.).
- If you want to make the bread oil-free, feel free to use apple sauce instead of oil. It will be drier but still delicious.
- Storing and freezing instructions as well as further tips & information can be found in the blog post above!
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I made this recipe with applesauce in lieu of oil. It is phenomenal. It is a dense, vegan fruit and nut bread, as advertised. I take a slim sliver with me to work as a mid-morning snack and it is a sweet, filling delight. I read some comments about the bread being “dry.” In my experience, vegan breads and cakes are a different experience than non-vegan baked goods and all vegan baked goods are dry, to some extent. To me, this bread is actually moist, even without the oil, for a vegan baked good. I used a combination of half figs and half dates for my dried fruit and I baked for 45 minutes. I did not cut it until the next day. Thank you, Bianca, for another excellent recipe. Your vegan Pad Thai is another fabulous recipe!
That’s great! Thanks for your lovely feedback! ❤️
I wish you wonderful Easter days! 🙂
Not sure what happened but mine turned out dry. Followed the recipe exact with the nuts and dry fruit but my batter was more like a paste. The bread turned out solid but dry. It does have a wonderful flavor though. May add more oil/juice next time around.
Some dried fruit variations are very dry. It’s better to use softer and juicier ones. Was the consistency of your batter pretty thick but still pourable as shown in the step-by-step pictures above?
Hi Bianca,
I made the recipe, I thought according exactly as listed, however my loaf turned out “crumbly” did not hold in a solid loaf? Not sure what I could have done wrong. the crumbles were very good! I plan to make again soon and hopefully get better results the second time around!
Jeannine
J
I recommend using soft dried fruit. There are different varieties available.
I loved this loaf, moist with a good crumb structure. I stuck with all the tips and it turned out perfect
Thank you, Lena
That’s awesome, glad to hear that! <3
Love this recipe because I can adapt it to any taste and occasion! Also, it is so fast and easy and healthy!!! The perfect snack for an afternoon break or to bring to a brunch with friends and family!
Thank you Bianca for sharing it with us! <3
I am so happy about that! 🙂
Thanks for your great feedback! ♡
This is the perfect bread for getting your Christmas spirit up! It’s easy to make and the roasted nuts in combination with the sweetness of the fruits is delicious!!
I am so glad you loved this recipe! 🙂
Thank you so much for your amazing feedback! ❤️
Easy and excellent recipe. Smells and tastes like. Christmas. I used half buckwheat flour and half whole-wheat flour and as recommended apple sauce instead of oil! Thank you so much Bianka it’s awesome!
Yay, that’s amazing! Thanks! 🙂
So glad you enjoyed it! <3
It’s so easy to make and sooooo good… you can vary with the fruit and nuts, I made it with plums, dates, walnuts and hazelnuts. I love this kind of bread especially during christmas time 🙂
Yay, that’s amazing! 😀
Thank you so much for your great feedback!
Best, Bianca <3
What a good recipe. Just made it today and the bread is nice and moist. I was afraid it would be to dry but it isn’t at all. I did use very high quality organic dried fruits that are super sweet and soft so I guess that makes the difference too. I used to not like dried fruits but this totally changed it!
Hi Maickel,
so glad your bread turned out great! 🙂
Yes, high quality organic soft dried fruits are the best choice for making this recipe!
Thanks a lot for your amazing feedback <3
Much love,
Bianca
Such a delicious bread and so easy to make! Love it!
So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you so much! 🙂