Vegan Spiced Pecan Citrus Loaf
4.50 from 8 votes

This vegan spiced pecan citrus loaf is perfect for breakfast or snacks. Heart-healthy, nutty pecans make it both filling and nutritious! Orange juice and zest give the loaf a wonderful aroma and flavor.

A moist, fluffy vegan pecan citrus loaf has been sliced and plated. A fork is being used to cut into one slice.

I always do a ton of baking before the winter holidays, but I tend to forget how nice it is to have homemade baked goods in the kitchen and freezer year-round. I’ve been baking a lot this month, and especially since the new semester started last week; it’s such a treat to have slices of quick bread or homemade muffins ready for sweet snacks and portable treats. This spiced citrus pecan breakfast bread is, as the title suggests, really great with a piece of fresh fruit or other breakfast offerings in the morning, but it makes a wonderful afternoon snack, too.

A metal loaf pan has been used to bake a spiced pecan citrus loaf.

The texture of the bread is super moist, speckled throughout with crunchy pecan pieces. I’ve been partnering with the American Pecan Council early this winter to celebrate the many health benefits and culinary versatility of pecans, which are the only major tree nut indigenous to North America.

I’ve always loved pecans in dessert, but they work so nicely for any type of baked good or snack: their flavor is mild and sweet enough to lean either savory or sweet. They’re such a good source of nutrition, too: pecans provide unsaturated fats, protein and fiber, which can aid in satiety (making them perfect for plant-based snacking). Pecans also contain plant sterols and flavonoids,, and they boast of a mineral trio of manganese, copper, and zinc.

An orange has just been zested and juiced. The juice is in a white bowl, with the microplane grater resting on top.

Fresh fruit is a little scarce in my neck of the woods right now, but it’s still a good season for citrus, and so I decided to infuse this breakfast loaf with the sweet, tart flavor of orange. I used navel oranges in the recipe, but you could use blood oranges or a combination of orange and grapefruit, if you like.

The batter for a quick bread is being mixed in a white ceramic mixing bowl with a spatula.

I also used a few pinches of cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg in the bread—just enough to make it smell spectacular as it bakes, but not quite so much that it screams “holiday season.” It’s perfect for any time of year and especially wonderful with a cup of ginger tea.

A metal baking loaf has recently been used to prepare a vegan quick bread. The bread is studded with pieces of pecan.

A moist, fluffy vegan pecan citrus loaf has been sliced and plated. A fork is being used to cut into one slice.
4.50 from 8 votes

Vegan Spiced Pecan Citrus Loaf

Author – Gena Hamshaw
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yields: 10 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour (240g; substitute white whole wheat flour)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • 1/2 cup freshly orange juice (120ml; if squeezing from fresh, about 2 medium sized navel oranges)
  • 6 tablespoons avocado oil (90ml; substitute another neutral vegetable oil)
  • 3/4 cup lightly packed light or dark brown sugar (150g)
  • 1/2 cup cold water (120ml)
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans (60g)

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350F and lightly oil a 8.5 x 4.5 x 2.75-in loaf pan.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
  • In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the orange zest and juice, oil, sugar, and water.
  • Add these wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix until the batter is evenly combined with no streaks of flour visible (a few small clumps are fine). Fold in the pecans. Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan.
  • Bake the loaf for 40-45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown, domed, and set. Allow it to cool for 15 minutes before removing the loaf from the pan and transferring it to a wire rack. Allow it to cool to room temperature before removing the loaf from the pan, slicing, and serving.
Two slices of vegan spiced pecan citrus loaf are resting on a round, white plate.

You’ll see that the amount of sugar called for has a little range; you can adjust it based on whether you’d like the bread to be more of a treat versus a morning option, and also according to your tastes. I used light spelt flour for the loaf, but a combination of flours will also work. If you’re gluten-free, you can try baking the bread with your favorite homemade GF flour blend or a store-bought all-purpose GF flour. (I haven’t tried it yet, but if you have good results, I’d love to hear which combination or flour you used!)

Another advantage of this loaf: it’s moist enough to last for a couple of days in a sealed container or wrap, which means it’s perfect for gifting. I know I’ll be enjoying it through the winter and spring, but I’m definitely planning to make a lot of it during the holiday season next year, too, and sharing it with loved ones as an edible offering. I may boost the cloves or nutmeg if I do that, or experiment with a pinch of cardamom. We’ll see.

Thank you all so much for kind words and wishes about Power Plates! It’s been a busy few days here, and I’m looking forward to a productive yet restful weekend. Wishing you all R&R and a little fun, too, and I’ll see you on Sunday for the weekend roundup.

xo

This post was sponsored by the American Pecan Council. All opinions are my own. Thanks for your support!

This post may contain affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something I may earn a commission. Visit my privacy policy to learn more.

Categories: Recipes, Quickbreads, Snacks
Method: Oven
Dietary Preferences: Soy Free, Vegan
Recipe Features: Meal Prep, Holidays

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Recipe Rating




    14 Comments
  1. 5 stars
    I really enjoyed this bread. It was so soft, and perfectly spiced. The spices weren’t overpowering, so it didn’t feel like a bread that I would only want during the fall or holidays. I used half whole wheat and half all-purpose flour, and olive oil. I’ll definitely be making this again!

  2. 5 stars
    This is delicious! I used 1 1/2 cups WW flour and 1/4 cup AP. I doubled the cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. I used coconut sugar and canola oil. It’s nice and moist and will definitely make this again. Thanks for sharing!

  3. Hi, warm greetings from Melbourne,
    Thank you for this delicious recipe, I have made it three time already! I used Bob’s Red Mill
    G/F 1/1 baking flour, it worked well giving it a more dense texture.
    Thanks for all the great recipes, and helpful information. I have recently discovered your blog,it has made my transition from vegetarian to vegan easier.
    Best wishes

    • I think lime might be too tart if you use a half cup. I’d try to find orange if you can! If not, maybe lemon, but half the amount. I hope you like it!

  4. Thanks for the insights into the health benefits of pecans Gena! After reading this article I did a little more research on the flavonoids that you mentioned are found in pecans and it was fascinating. I have not had the chance to try the recipe yet but the education on the health benefits of pecans was very helpful!

  5. 5 stars
    I made this to take to work this week and it turned out great. Thanks for another great recipe!

  6. My mom recently made this and OMG IT IS AMAZING!!!! It was restaurant/cafe worthy and SO MOIST!! I loved how moist this was!!! It’s such a great recipe – thanks for sharing!!!

  7. 5 stars
    Looks so good! I haven’t eaten any pecans since we moved but I’m looking forward to loading up when we’re back home in August, and I’m sure local walnuts would be delicious here as well! This is such a nice option to have instead of banana bread <3

  8. citrus in the winter is so perfect! I’m also a huge fan of snack/breakfast breads – I will definitely be trying this one out!