Chocolate Orange Swirl Bread – Low Carb and Gluten-Free

Low carb orange quick bread, swirled with chocolate. A delightful treat for breakfast or tea time.

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A sweet low carb quick bread swirled with orange and chocolate, and with a chocolate drizzle.  This almond flour keto loaf cake makes perfect breakfast or tea-time treat. 

Consider the phrase “falling down on the job”.  I don’t know about you, but when I hear it, I think of someone intoxicated at their workplace, quite literally falling down (drunk) on the job.  That literal image may speak to my own proclivities, although I can state unequivocally that I have never fallen down drunk on the job.  Have I actually been drunk on the job?  Um, well.  Ahem.   Let’s just say that on occasion in my work in higher education we held some after-hours events where a few drinks were the norm and I was a wee bit wobbly-pops on the way home.  And that’s all I am going to say about that.

These days, however, I do feel a bit like I am falling down (not drunk) on the job.  Most of the time, I think that being a food blogger is the best job in the world.  I do what I love to do and I am fortunate to make a decent income from it.  But there are times that I get very overwhelmed by it and by all the things I need to do or think I need to do.  And by the fact that I have a tendency to say yes to too many projects.  Right now is one of those times.  I am trying to do it all, but I have the distinct sense that I am not doing any of it very well.  I know I will get a handle on everything soon and in the meantime, the best approach is just to keep plugging away, one little bit at a time.  Otherwise I would just want to climb into bed, pull the covers over my head, and not come out.  Tempting, definitely, but not the best way to handle the overload!

This is by way of apology to all of my bloggy friends and all of my readers if I am not putting in quite as much effort as I normally would.  I want to have the time to make the rounds, commenting on all the amazing blogs I love, as well as responding to each and every comment on my own blog or responding to all the emails and questions I get from readers.  Quite frankly, that’s how I’d prefer to spend my whole day, with maybe a little baking, photography and writing thrown in there too.  I love my online communities, they make me feel remarkably connected to a far larger network of friends and support than I could ever build face to face.  Given my druthers, I’d fritter away most of my time on these communities, connecting and learning and growing.  But you know the drill.  That’s just not how it goes.  Despite the fact that the majority of my work is done online, much of it is in frantic haste, trying to finish one assignment while keeping tabs on the next, and still posting actively enough to keep people engaged.  And then there are the offline obligations, trying to manage my kids’ lives and spend time with my family.  It’s a constant war against the clock, and I don’t know anyone who doesn’t feel the same, no matter what they do.

So.  Not to feel all woe-is-me sorry for myself.  Because I don’t.  I know I can only get so much done in a day and something has to give.  I do my best and I know that most of the world forgives me for not quite meeting its, or my own, expectations all the time.  And when I do have a little tiny bit of time on my hands, I find myself in the kitchen, throwing some ingredients together to bring you a delicious treat.  Like this low carb Chocolate Orange Swirl Bread.  Orange isn’t necessarily my go-to flavour to combine with chocolate, but this recipe just works.  The orange gives it a bright, refreshing note, while the chocolate makes it feel like a decadent treat.  Eat it…and forgive me for falling down on the job!

5 from 2 votes

Orange Chocolate Swirl Bread – Low Carb and Gluten-Free

Servings: 16 servings

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Low carb orange quick bread, swirled with chocolate. A delightful treat for breakfast or tea time.

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Ingredients

 

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Chocolate Swirl and Glaze

• 2 oz (56.7 g) dark chocolate chips, sugar-free, chopped
• 2 tbsp butter

Orange Bread:

• 3 cups (315 g) almond flour
• 1/3 cup (36 g) unflavoured whey protein powder
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (113.5 g) butter, softened
• 2/3 cup (121.33 g) granulated Swerve Sweetener or other erythritol
• 3 large eggs
• Zest of medium orange
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup (62 g) orange juice
• 1/4 cup (59.15 g) water

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Instructions

• Preheat oven to 300F and grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan well.
• In a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, combine the chocolate and butter. Stir until melted and smooth. Set aside
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, protein powder, baking powder, baking and salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, beat the butter until smooth. Add the sweetenerand beat until lighter and well-combined, about 2 minutes.
• Beat in the eggs, one at time, scraping down the beaters and sides of bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Beat in the orange zest and vanilla extract.
• Beat in half of the almond flour mixture, then beat in the orange juice and water. Beat in the remaining almond flour mixture until well combined.
• Spread half of the batter into the prepared pan, and then dollop with about 2/3 of the chocolate glaze. Use a knife to swirl the chocolate into the batter.
• Top with remaining batter, and swirl a bit more, then smooth the top.
• Bake 55 to 60 minutes, or until top is deep golden brown and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan 5 minutes, then flip out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• Drizzle with remaining chocolate glaze.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving = 1/16th of loaf | Calories: 223kcal | Carbohydrates: 6.7g | Protein: 7.4g | Fat: 19.5g | Fiber: 3g

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