Orange Potato Bread

Potato in a quick bread might sound unusual, but it’s an old baker’s trick. Riced cooked potatoes add moisture and starch to the batter, creating a crumb that stays soft and tender for days after baking instead of drying out overnight like most quick breads.

Fresh orange juice and grated orange zest infuse the whole loaf with bright citrus flavor. The juice provides most of the liquid in the batter, so the orange flavor runs all the way through, not just on the surface. Combined with vanilla, it creates a warm, fragrant loaf that smells incredible while baking.

The potatoes need to be riced, not mashed. Ricing produces a fine, fluffy texture that blends invisibly into the batter. Mashed potatoes can have lumps that create dense pockets in the finished bread. If you don’t have a potato ricer, press cooked potato through a fine mesh sieve.

Chopped nuts add crunch and earthy contrast to the soft, sweet crumb. They get stirred in last so they distribute without getting crushed into the batter.

Pro Tips

• Use freshly squeezed orange juice for the brightest flavor. Juice from concentrate tastes flat in baked goods.
• Cool the riced potatoes completely before mixing into the wet ingredients. Warm potato will partially cook the egg.
• Don’t overmix the batter. Stir the wet and dry together just until combined for the most tender texture.
• Cool the bread 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out. Leaving it too long traps steam and makes the bottom soggy.

Variations

• Cranberry orange: Fold in dried cranberries with the nuts for a tart, festive version.
• Glaze finish: Drizzle a simple orange glaze (powdered sugar and orange juice) over the cooled loaf.
• Chocolate chip: Add semi-sweet chocolate chips for an orange-chocolate combination that’s hard to resist.