Cinnamon and aronia berry bread

Berry bread: bread or cake?

In theory, telling bread and cake apart should be easy. But there are times when the line feels a little blurry. Banana bread is one, and berry bread is another. We call them bread, but they share a lot of similarities with cakes. Their texture is dense and moist, and their flavour profile sweet. Yet we serve them sliced like bread and often enjoy them during the day rather than as an after-dinner dessert. However, you probably wouldn’t want to make a sandwich with them!

While technically a ‘quick bread’, we think of this cinnamon and aronia berry bread as more of a loaf cake. It’s sweet, but not overly so – the tang of the aronia and spice of the cinnamon balance the flavour perfectly. Personally, we’re rather partial to having a mid-morning slice with a cup of coffee. Or tucking into some as an afternoon indulgence with a pot of tea. It also makes a wonderful dessert – especially when you want to treat yourself, but don't fancy having anything too decadent.

Interestingly, the idea of putting berries (and other types of fruit) into bread recipes is nothing new. For example, experts believe that the Ancient Romans mixed pomegranate seeds, blackcurrants, and raisins into their bread dough. And today, recipes like blueberry loaf cake are still very popular. However, aronia berry bread is a great recipe to choose if you want a more unusual bake. And, of course, a delicious one!

What are aronia berries?

The ingredient at the heart of this berry bread recipe is the aronia berries. Yet, unlike more common loaf cake additions such as blueberries and cranberries, they’re not an everyday sight in our supermarkets. Which is a real shame, because they’re both tasty and good for you.

Aronia berries are little, round, deep blue-purple fruits that grow in clusters on lush green shrubs. They look very similar to blueberries, but tend to be slightly smaller, firmer, and darker in colour. People also call them ‘chokeberries’ thanks to their tart, astringent taste and mouth-drying effect. Native to North America, today producers cultivate the plants across Europe too.

Because of their bitter and tangy flavour, people rarely eat aronia berries raw. Instead, it’s more common to use them to make jellies, syrups, jams, wines, teas, and juices. And, of course, baked goods like muffins, cakes, cookies, and cinnamon berry bread. The dried berries work especially well for these kinds of recipes. They have a tart taste with a hint of sweetness that adds a gorgeous vibrancy and pop of colour to this loaf cake. Not only that, but they also bestow upon it some seriously impressive health benefits.

The wellness benefits of aronia berries

One reason adding aronia to your berry bread can support wellbeing is that these berries are bursting with antioxidants.(1) They’re a fantastic source of polyphenols, including anthocyanins – which are what give them their vivid colour. These help to tackle oxidative stress and inflammation, reducing the risk of developing several chronic conditions, such as heart disease.

And that’s not the only explanation for why using aronia in your berry bread may be beneficial for heart health. Studies have found that aronia supports vascular function, lowers blood pressure, and decreases cholesterol levels.(2) Plus, because they’re rich in fibre, the berries can exert a positive influence on digestion too. Fibre might also assist with healthy weight management by increasing feelings of fullness and lowering calorie intake.

Interestingly, aronia berries could have the potential to support your immune system as well. Research suggests the ingredient has antibacterial and antiviral properties, possibly reducing the risk of infections.(3) Plus, the berries are rich in vitamin C – a nutrient key for wound healing and producing white blood cells. Sounds like a good excuse to whip up this cinnamon and aronia berry bread when you’re feeling under the weather!

The vitamin C in your cinnamon and aronia berry bread has other benefits too. It’s involved in the production of collagen, which provides structure to the skin, muscles, bones, cartilage, tendons and ligaments. Vitamin C additionally helps us to absorb iron, a mineral vital for the synthesis of haemoglobin. This is a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. Getting enough iron from your food is therefore important for keeping your energy levels up.

How to make our cinnamon and aronia berry bread recipe

To create this cinnamon and aronia berry bread, start by preheating your oven to 175ºC. Then, add a third of a cup of shredded apple to a bowl. You can make this by peeling and coring an apple, then grating it. Pour a cup of oat milk on top (or your favourite plant-based alternative) and mix them together. Next, pop in two tablespoons of coconut oil and stir again before setting this berry bread pudding mixture aside.

In a different, larger bowl, mix one cup of all-purpose flour with a third of a cup of brown sugar. Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt on top, along with two teaspoons each of baking powder and ground cinnamon. Stir well, then add the apple mixture and combine everything together to create your berry bread batter. Finally, pop a third of a cup of dried aronia berries into the bowl. Fold these in until they’re evenly distributed.

Spoon your cinnamon and aronia berry bread batter into a loaf tin lined with parchment paper. Use a spatula to push the mixture into the corners and smooth the top. Next, sprinkle a tablespoon of coconut sugar over the mixture, followed by two or three teaspoons of almond flakes. Then, bake your berry bread for about 45 minutes until the top is golden brown. To check if it’s done, insert a toothpick – it should come out clean.

Leave your cinnamon and aronia berry bread to cool for about 10-15 minutes. Then you’re ready to cut a slice and enjoy your bake!

Praising the humble apple

Apple may not be the strongest flavour in this berry bread, but it’s key for achieving the right texture. It adds a moisture and density that’s almost treacly, which is ideal for a loaf cake like this. And what’s more, it’s another healthy ingredient – one we rarely appreciate because it’s so common.

For example, apples are high in both fibre and water, making them – and this berry bread – a filling snack. Combined with the fact that apple polyphenols may have anti-obesity effects, this means they can help with weight loss.(4) Although, that does depend on how many slices of berry bread you eat and what you have it with!

The fibre and polyphenols that apples contain offer potential benefits for the heart too. Studies have linked apple consumption to a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and stroke.(5) One polyphenol in apples that’s of particular note is quercetin. It may be why research has found that eating the fruit correlates with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.(6) Interestingly, quercetin might also help reduce inflammation in the airways caused by allergic inflammatory conditions like asthma.(7)

Returning to fibre, apples contain a kind called pectin, which acts as a prebiotic. That means it nourishes the good bacteria in your gut and helps the microbiota there to flourish. Experts think this is why apple consumption seems to protect against a whole range of chronic diseases.(8) So, all in all, it’s a must-have ingredient for this cinnamon and aronia berry bread recipe!

Cinnamon: adding more than flavour

The final ingredient we want to highlight in this berry bread recipe is the cinnamon. Because while we often think of it as just a sweet, warming spice, it offers some surprising wellness benefits too. For instance, like aronia, it’s rich in potent antioxidants that defend our cells from free radical damage and inflammation.(9) It could additionally have antiviral and antibacterial properties, helping to protect against infection.

Adding cinnamon to your berry bread may be especially advantageous for your heart health. Studies have found that the spice works to lower LDL and total cholesterol and triglycerides, as well as blood pressure.(10) In turn, this could lessen the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

One of the most well-known benefits of cinnamon is its positive effect on blood glucose levels.(11) It helps to decrease blood sugar via a few different mechanisms. First, it may be able to reduce insulin resistance, supporting blood sugar control. Second, the ingredient contains a compound that mimics the effects of insulin. This supports the uptake of glucose into the body’s cells, reducing the quantity in the blood. Third, cinnamon can cut the amount of sugar that enters the bloodstream after eating by slowing the breakdown of carbs.

Finally, there’s a chance cinnamon could exert neuroprotective effects and be useful in the treatment of conditions like Alzheimer’s.(12) However, further investigation is necessary to clarify this. We can’t say tucking into this berry bread will boost your brain, but its taste should improve your mood!

Introducing our dried aronia berries

We source the aronia berries for this berry bread recipe directly from small farmers in Eastern Europe. They use strictly organic techniques to cultivate the plants, with no harmful chemicals involved. Our team picks the fruit by hand during the annual harvest season between mid-September and mid-October. They then gently dry them at a temperature of up to 45ºC for around 72 hours.

Once ready, we pack the berries into environmentally friendly packaging to ship to you at home. We don’t sneak in any artificial colourings, flavourings, or preservatives – what you receive is 100% pure organic dried aronia berries. Tart, tangy, and tasty!

We’re sure you’ll adore this cinnamon and aronia berry bread. But of course, there are many more recipes you can use the fruit in. For example, a quick and easy option is to stir some into your morning porridge or granola. Alternatively, add the dried berries to a homemade trail mix to bring some zing to a healthy snack.

If you enjoy baking, you might like to branch out from berry bread and utilise aronia berries in other recipes. For instance, try adding them in place of dried blueberries, cranberries, or similar ingredients in muffins or cakes. Just remember that they can taste slightly less sweet than other berries. As such, you may need to use a little more sugar or sweetener in the bake depending on your palate.

And if you fall in love with aronia, we’ve also got it in powder and juice form!

Customising your berry bread

There’s so much to appreciate about this cinnamon and aronia berry bread recipe – including the opportunity for customisation! For instance, transform it into a mixed berry bread by using other berries in place of some of the aronia. Dried blueberries, blackcurrants, cranberries and goji berries all work well, plus bring more colour variation. Or, if you want to add crunch to the bake, sprinkle some chopped nuts into the batter before baking. Chocolate chips are also a fantastic choice if you’d like to mix up the flavour profile.

Speaking of which, another way to adjust the taste of the dish is by swapping out the cinnamon. As an example, lemon is a wonderful alternative if you want to give your berry bread a citrusy zing. Or try vanilla for a more traditional and sophisticated bite. You can also add extra sweetness by drizzling a little icing on top after the berry bread cools.

When it comes to serving berry bread, you have plenty of options. You might pop a handful of fresh berries on the plate. Treat yourself to a scoop or two of vegan ice cream. Or, keep it simple with a dusting of icing sugar over the slice. Scrumptious!