Fruit & Nut Bread Diabetic Recipe *used Baking Sugar Substitute to Make This for My Diabetic Family Members*

This is a great basic bread recipe that you can substitute many different kinds of fruits and nuts.   
In my instructable I used Raisins and Almonds but this basic bread can hold any fruit or nut of your choice.

Some other great Fruit options are:

Fresh or Frozen Cranberries
Fresh or Frozen Blueberries
Fresh or Frozen Blackberries
Fresh or Frozen Raspberries
Fresh or Frozen Strawberries
Can or Frozen Pineapple 
--------------------------------------> all of the above fruit, coarsely chop the Raisins you don't really need to chop, I leave them whole
Raisins

Other great Nut options are:

Walnuts
Pecans
Peanuts
Almonds

You can even make a chocolate chip bread as I have done this many times.

Use Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Dark Chocolate Chips
Peanut Butter Chips


Really, when it comes to this bread the only thing that will hold you back is your imagination. 

Ingredients List:

2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar or sugar substitute
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1 egg well beaten
1 1/2 cup fresh or frozen FRUIT OF CHOICE FROM LIST ABOVE & coarsely chopped 
1 cup nuts finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Bake for 50 minutes
Makes 1 loaf

Step 1: Dry Ingredients

I like to sift my dry ingredients but this is NOT necessary, I just like to do this to make sure all the dry ingredients are mixed well.

2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar or sugar substitute
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Step 2: Wet Ingredients

Then I use a wooden spoon to juice 2 to 3 small oranges. I use fresh oranges to cut down the sugar content. Plus you need the grated peel so using fresh oranges works best. 

After juicing the oranges and beating the 1 egg well I put all wet ingredients into the dry mix. 

3/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1 egg well beaten

I just use a rubber spatula to start mixing the dough. 

Step 3: Adding the Fruit & Nuts

After you've mixed the dough a bit to make sure that all the wet and dry ingredients are incorporated then add your choice of fruit and nuts.

If the dough is too sticky and doesn't remove from your fingers well, start adding a little extra flour until it easily falls off your fingers. The dough should be tight not sticky.

As you see in photo two on this step, my dough is too sticky so I added about 1/4 more cup of flour. That worked perfectly and all the dough fell off of my hands with ease. 

Step 4: The Dough, Loaf Pan & Cooking Instructions

Now that your dough is ready and fall off your fingers easily, grease a standard loaf pan well.

Take the dough and press it down with your knuckles into your loaf pan so all corners are filled.

Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan, cool completely.

Enjoy plain, with butter or cream cheese. <3