Best Fruit Bread - Easy, No-Knead, Delicious

Fruit bread is a classic dessert that is made with a mixture of fresh fruits and spices, and is prepared throughout the year with seasonal fruits. This no-knead bread cake can be prepared in under an hour and pairs really well with a hot cup of coffee or tea, or even with freshly whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream.

Jump to:

• Why you'll love this recipe
• Ingredients
• Substitutions and Variations
• Step-by-Step Instructions
• Tips
• Storage and Make Ahead Instructions
• Recipe FAQs
• More Fruit Recipes to Love
• Recipe card
• User Reviews

Why you'll love this recipe

1. Using leftover seasonal fruits: Fruit bread and fruit cake are a great way to use up any leftover seasonal fruits thereby reducing food waste and also add a fresh, natural sweetness to your bread or cake.
2. No need to wait for dough to rise: Unlike traditional bread recipes, fruit bread recipe often doesn't require the dough to rise, which means you can have your dessert ready to eat in less time.
3. Can use dried fruits or tutti frutti: If fresh fruit is not available or not in season, you can still make a delicious fruit bread or fruit cake using dried fruits or tutti frutti. These ingredients can add a burst of flavor and texture to your dessert, and are often easier to find year-round.
4. Versatility: Fruit bread can be eaten as a snack or as a dessert, served warm or cold, with whipped cream, ice cream, or on their own.
5. Nutritional benefits: As this bread contains fruits, they are a great source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

With summer right around the corner, I like to prepare recipes that my kids love the most, and more often than not, they involve fruits. Here are some recipes that use fruits as the main ingredient, so check them out - patriotic fruit and cream, the best strawberry popsicles, quick and easy raspberry lemonade, delicious peach upside down cake, simple and easy peach pie, and refreshing blueberry mojito.

Ingredients

The main ingredients used to prepare fruit bread are all-purpose flour, sugar, eggs, baking soda, salt, oil or butter, and fruits.

• Flour provides structure and body to the bread.
• Sugar sweetens the bread and helps to brown the crust.
• Eggs act as a binding agent.
• Baking soda helps the bread rise.
• Salt enhances the flavor.
• Butter provides moisture and richness, and
• Fruits add flavor and texture to the bread.

See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

Substitutions and Variations

Ingredient Substitutions

Here are some potential substitutions for the main ingredients in fruit bread:

• All-purpose flour: You can use a gluten-free flour blend or whole wheat flour.
• Sugar: Use honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar as a natural sweetener.
• Eggs: Unsweetened applesauce, mashed bananas, yogurt, or a commercial egg replacer can be used as a substitute for eggs.
• Baking soda: You can use 2 teaspoon of baking powder instead of 1 teaspoon of baking soda.
• Butter: You can use unsweetened applesauce, mashed bananas, yogurt, or plant-based oil like coconut oil or avocado oil as a substitute for butter.
• Fruits: You can use dried fruits or canned fruits instead of fresh fruits.

Recipe Variations

Some popular variations of the fruit cake include:

1. Rum or Brandy Fruit Cake: In this version, the fruit cake is soaked in rum or brandy for a few days or even weeks, which gives it a deeper, richer flavor.
2. Christmas Fruit Cake: This version is typically made with a mix of dried fruits and nuts, including raisins, currants, figs, dates, almonds, and pecans. It is also often flavored with spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
3. Chocolate Fruit Cake: Add chocolate into the batter, which pairs well with the sweet, tangy flavors of the fruit.
4. Carrot Fruit Cake: This version incorporates grated carrots into the batter, which adds moisture and sweetness to the cake.
5. Gluten-Free Fruit Cake is suitable for people with gluten intolerance or celiac disease, while a Vegan Fruit Cake that uses only plant-based ingredients makes it ideal for people following a vegan diet.

If you like breads or cakes that use fruits, then check out - the best holiday panettone, easy vegan fruit cake, best Christmas cake, eggless Christmas Rum cake, easy and delicious pineapple upside-down cake, etc.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1 - Mix chopped strawberries, peaches, and sugar in a bowl and set aside.

Step 2 - Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a baking pan.

Step 3 - In a large bowl, whisk together egg, butter, and sugar, then add sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract, and mix well until combined.

Step 4 - Add in flour, cinnamon powder, baking soda, and salt, and gently mix until no lumps remain.

Step 5 - Fold in the fruit mixture. Pour the batter into the greased baking pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Step 6 - Let the bread cool completely before slicing and serving.

Tips

Here are some expert chef tips for preparing fruit cake:

• Control the moisture in the fruits: Mix diced fresh fruits in some sugar and let them sit for 15 minutes to draw out the excess moisture. If you are using dried or desiccated fruits in the recipe, you can rehydrate them by soaking them in rum or brandy or fruit juice for a couple of hours.
• Use room temperature ingredients: It is important to use ingredients that are at room temperature, especially eggs and butter. This will ensure that the batter mixes evenly and smoothly.
• Don't overmix the batter: Overmixing the batter can cause the cake to become tough and dry. Mix the batter just until the ingredients are incorporated.
• Use a low oven temperature: Fruit cake needs to bake slowly and evenly, so it is important to use a low oven temperature. This will prevent the cake from becoming dry or burning on the outside while the inside is still raw.
• Test for doneness: Fruit cake can take longer to bake than other cakes, so it is important to test it for doneness by inserting a toothpick or cake tester into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is done.
• Let it cool: Fruit cake needs to cool completely before it can be removed from the pan and sliced. This will help prevent it from falling apart or sticking to the knife.

Storage and Make Ahead Instructions

Here are some storage and make-ahead instructions for fruit bread:

1. Storage: To store fruit bread, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Alternatively, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
2. Freeze: To freeze fruit bread, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place it in a freezer-safe container or bag. Fruit bread can be frozen for up to 3 months.
3. Make-ahead: Fruit bread can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to serve. To serve, simply thaw the fruit bread if frozen and slice as desired.
4. Reheat: To reheat fruit bread, wrap it in foil and heat it in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes, or until warm. Alternatively, you can microwave individual slices for 10-15 seconds.

Recipe FAQs

More Fruit Recipes to Love

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Recipe card