Fruit Bread with Grape-Nuts

Grape-Nuts cereal does something unexpected in this bread: soaked in hot milk, those crunchy nuggets soften into a dense, nutty base that gives the loaf a texture you can’t get from flour alone.

Triple-sifting the dry ingredients isn’t fussy extra work here. It ensures the baking powder distributes evenly through all that flour, which matters because this is a heavy batter that needs all the lift it can get. The half-hour rest before baking lets the Grape-Nuts fully hydrate so you don’t end up with hard pebbles in your finished bread.

Raisins and grated orange zest stud every slice with little bursts of sweetness and citrus. This is old-school tea bread at its finest, sturdy enough to slice thin and butter generously.

Pro Tips

• Scald the milk (heat until tiny bubbles form at the edges) but let it cool to lukewarm before adding the egg. Hot milk will scramble it.
• Stir the batter gently once you add the flour. Overworking develops gluten and turns the bread tough rather than tender.
• The long bake time (about 85 minutes) is normal for this dense loaf. Test with a toothpick inserted in the center; it should come out clean.
• This bread slices much better the next day. Wrap it tightly and let it rest overnight for cleaner, neater pieces.

Variations

• Use dried cranberries instead of raisins and swap the orange zest for lemon zest.
• Add a teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg for a spiced autumn version.
• Fold in chopped walnuts for extra crunch that complements the Grape-Nuts texture.