A beautiful golden and lighter blueberry quick bread that is moist and full of crunchy pecans. It's a good option for breakfast or a snack, versatile with some ingredients and freezes well.
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I set out to make a more wholesome blueberry bread, and ended up with this quick bake that freezes well and is full of lighter ingredients like applesauce and coconut sugar.
If you need a not-too-sweet snacking cake, this is it. Just like the banana muffins with whole wheat flour, it's a nice change from the refined loaves I usually post.
Each bite has juicy blueberries bursting and crunchy pecans. It doesn't even need a dusting of powdered sugar.
With a muffin-like consistency due to the applesauce, it's easy to put together and makes me feel healthy. It must be that whole wheat flour in the batter.
Ingredients notes
- Oil: it's used as a replacement of butter and it makes batters very moist. In my opinion, Sunflower and canola are the most neutral in flavor, but I sometimes use olive oil, and you can use coconut oil. It's a small amount.
- Whole wheat flour: use a superfine flour, one that is pretty much like all-purpose flour consistency-wise. If you use coarser flour, the crumb will be different, it'll have more texture. So keep that in mind. It gives this cake a wonderful earthiness.
- White whole wheat flour: it's in between the refined all-purpose and the whole wheat flour.
- Baking powder and baking soda: are used as leaveners to help the bread rise, so make sure they aren't expired.
- Applesauce: it adds moisture without calories. You can use homemade applesauce, store-bought, or even grate an apple or two with a fine-holed grater.
- Blueberries: use either fresh or frozen (straight from the freezer).
- Pecans: they give the cake a wonderful crunch. You can also use walnuts or other nuts like almonds and hazelnuts.
Quantities are listed in the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.
It's the kind of not-too-sweet loaf that appeals to everyone, good as a snack, with a cup of coffee, tea or to give as a gift.
You can substitute pear puree for the apple.
Also, this recipe is easily doubled. Maybe eat one and freeze the other?
Kitchen notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Baking time: consider that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Pan size: this recipe can be made in one loaf pan as I did here, in muffin cups, mini loaf pans, or even as a sheet cake.
- Decoration: I like to add a row of pecan halves and sprinkle with a tablespoon of brown sugar before baking (image below). You can omit it of course.
- Storing: always wrap it in plastic to ensure it stays moist. It lasts for a few days at room temperature as long as it's not hot. Apples ferment at some point so keep this in mind.
- Freezing: wrap it well and freeze it for 1 month. I cut it before and then toast individual slices.
- Spices: add any other spice you like; ground cinnamon always works with these flavors.
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Applesauce Blueberry Bread (with whole wheat flour)
Ingredients
- ½ cups pecans, lightly toasted if you want to
- 1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen, directly from the freezer
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup whole wheat flour, superfine or very finely milled
- ½ tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, or mace, optional
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup vegetable oil, such as coconut, sunflower or canola
- ½ cup coconut sugar, or fine muscovado or brown sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce, use my recipe for homemade applesauce, store-bought or finely grate a peeled apple until you have ½ cup
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar, to sprinkle before baking
- 8 whole pecans, to decorate, optional
Instructions
- Finely chop ½ cups pecans and reserve.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180C).
- Butter or spray 1 medium loaf pan (9x3 inches or similar).
- Sprinkle with ground nuts coating evenly. Or dust with flour or fine dry breadcrumbs.
- Remove and reserve 1 tablespoon from 1 cup all-purpose flour.
- Sift it with ½ cup whole wheat flour, ½ tablespoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg.
- In a large bowl beat 1 egg, ¼ cup vegetable oil and ½ cup coconut sugar.
- Add ½ cup unsweetened applesauce and 2 teaspoons lemon juice and mix well.
- Add dry ingredients without beating too much.
- Stir 1 cup blueberries with the reserved 1 tablespoon of flour and fold it into the egg mixture being careful not to crush them.
- Add chopped pecans and stir to mix.
- Pour this batter into the prepared pan, smoothing top.
- Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon brown sugar, and arrange 8 whole pecans decoratively on top if you want.
- Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then unmold and let cool completely.
Notes
Adapted from Cakes, by Maida Heatter
Phyllis says
My husband loved this delicious, moist bread, chock full of goodness. I used pear sauce instead of applesauce, but it tasted just as good.
Paula Montenegro says
I love the pear variation Phyllis! I hadn’t thought of it.
Lakshmi says
I'd love to try this but I'm cutting down sugar from my diet. Do I need to change the quantity of other ingredients or baking temp/time if I bake this bread without sugar? I'll use the blueberries and applesauce though.
Paula Montenegro says
Hi, I would use stevia and yogurt to substitute for the sugar. Or use 2/3 cup agave. It won't be the same cake, texture wise. Let me know how it goes!
Donna Rae Barrow says
So, I made this recipe as a Bundt cake! I baked it for 50 minutes, and it turned out beautifully!
Donna Rae Barrow says
Just found this recipe... the title says it makes "1 loaf" but the instructions indicate to prepare and pour batter into "2 medium loaf pans". Could you clarify? Is it enough batter to perhaps bake as a bundt cake?
Roxana | Roxana's Home Baking says
I love the berry and applesauce combo. Your loaf looks so beautiful and so moist. would love few slices.
Cookin' Canuck says
How perfect that this is not too sweet and that you worked in whole wheat flour.
Terra says
I love sweet bread so much! Your bread with applesauce and blueberries would be perfect, a perfect traveling treat too:-) Hugs, Terra
Mary Hirsch says
Paula, this combination looks really, really delicious. I love fruit breads like this - any flavor is fine with me - but this looks a little healthier than most. You're right, a good gift.
Andrea_TheKitchenLioness says
Paula, ah, the delicious pecans again (I am reading "upside down"). And I love the addition of homemade unsweetened applesauce, makes for very moist baked goods - presentation is wonderful!
yummychunklet says
Love how you used the pecans to help determine slice width.
Rhu and Sam says
What a great combination of flavours! I wish I had a piece of this lovely cake for breakfast tomorrow...
Deb says
Maida Heatter is a favorite of mine. I also have her cookie cookbook with many well worn pages. Your freezer is a treasure trove of sweet delight! Blueberries! A fabulous cake!
Kathy says
Paula, This is an incredibly lovely cake! I could use a piece right now with my afternoon tea! Have a great weekend!
Guru Uru says
Mmmm I can imagine eating the entire loaf 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Carol | a cup of mascarpone says
Paula, this is stunning! I adore the shape in the long, slender pan! I have never seen one like that before - love the pan, and love the bread even more!!!