This recipe, Brown Nut Bread, is a mildly sweet combination of toasted walnuts, plump raisins, and citrusy orange zest. Welcome year round, it also makes a great alternative to Irish soda bread for St. Patrick’s Day.
I’ve had this recipe for years, having adapted it from a Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook, The Dieter’s Cookbook (1982 edition). It was hauntingly familiar to me from the beginning and apparently I come by it naturally.
I remember my Dad telling me that my ancestry is Scotch and Irish, my remote ancesters having left Scotland for the midlands of Ireland. And, busy lot that they seem to have been, they also found time to serve on several of the Crusades. At least, supposedly.
I have no idea if all of this is true for sure, or not, but something in the genes may explain why I love this stuff, and why I especially crave it toasted and slathered with Irish butter (it’s actually a low-fat recipe until I get at it). Does sound incriminating, doesn’t it?
In fact, this Brown Nut Bread is very similar to British brown breads I’ve tasted, although those breads are, more often than not, made with dates. not raisins.
It’s also reminiscent of Boston brown bread but without the cook having to get into the process of steaming the loaves.
At any rate, I’ve also been known to make a change of pace lunch of this by spreading toasted slices with cream cheese I’ve flavored with orange zest, honey, and a dash of vanilla extract.
As I said earlier, I’ve been known to serve this bread instead of Irish soda bread on St. Patrick’s Day because this recipe has a larger yield — two nice, big loaves — if you’re feeding a crew as opposed to just a few people, this is a real plus.
Also, these can be made way in advance. The loaves freeze beautifully. Just take them out of the freezer and let them defrost at room temperature for several hours. I will say, I usually have this in my freezer, presliced, for easy toasting.
Whether you include this recipe for Brown Nut Bread in your St. Patrick’s Day Feast or stow it away in your freezer for quick breakfasts, lunches, or even snacks, I hope it becomes a favorite of yours as well.
Let me know what you think in the Comments section below. In the meantime, enjoy!
| Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Cook Time | 50-55 minutes |
| Servings |
servings per loaf
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- 2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon orange zest packed
- 1 cup chopped walnuts toasted*
- 3/4 cup raisins
Ingredients
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- Preheat the oven to 350° F.
- Spray two 8x4x2" loaf pans with vegetable cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together the first 4 ingredients (whole wheat flour through salt). Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the next 6 ingredients (eggs through orange zest). Note: I like to finely zest the orange peel directly into the bowl of the wet ingredients to capture the essential oils from the peel as I zest. If you want to do this as well, instead of pre-zesting the orange peel and measuring a packed tablespoon, just thoroughly zest 2 good-sized oranges right into the bowl.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and blend just until almost combined. Add the nuts and raisins and briefly stir to mix in the add-ins and finish combining the batter.
- Divide batter evenly between the two prepared loaf pans. Here's a trick I devised: to help the tops of each loaf rise attractively, use the handle of a wooden spoon to create a shallow indent down the middle of the top of each loaf lengthwise, from short end to short end. This helps prevent the naturally occuring crack on the top of each loaf from developing off-center, or on the side of the top of each loaf as they bake.
- Bake loaves on center rack of oven for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of each loaf comes out clean. Check the loaves toward the last 20 minutes of baking. I've always covered them loosely with foil at this point, to protect the tops of the loaves from over-browning.
- With oven mitts, carefully remove loaves from pans (they're hot) and cool loaves on a wire rack.
- Store each loaf in a plastic storage bag in the refrigerator. Use within a few days or freeze.
Nutritional facts per serving:
108 calories
2g fat
175mg sodium
21g carbs
2g fiber
3g protein
*Toast nuts on a rimmed baking sheet in a 350° F oven for 10-15 minutes, or until fragrant.