Easy Old-Fashioned Applesauce Bread
This is an excellent recipe for old-fashioned applesauce bread. We love it toasted for an easy breakfast or an afternoon snack. Sprinkle chopped pecans and cinnamon sugar on top of the bread before baking for a crunchier crust. We make our own applesauce and then bake several loaves that we keep frozen in slices so they can be ready in a few minutes.
Servings 10 slices
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour or use 2 cups of all-purpose flour only
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven at 350°F (180°C).
- Butter or spray a 9x4 inch (10x24 cm) loaf pan and, if you want, add a strip of parchment paper to cover the bottom and two shorter sides. This will make it easier to remove the bread.
- Cream ½ cup unsalted butter by beating it for 20 seconds in a large bowl with an electric mixer (if using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment).
- Add ¾ cup brown sugar gradually while you continue beating at medium speed, and then beat for 3 more minutes after adding all of it. The mixture should be light in color, fluffy, and the sugar will have partially dissolved.
- Add 2 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl regularly.
- Add 1 ¼ cups unsweetened applesauce, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract. Mix well.
- Sift the dry ingredients (1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup whole wheat flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon salt) in a medium bowl, or have them measured and sift them directly over the loaf cake batter. You might be unable to sift the whole wheat flour if your sifter is very thin, so add it directly.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in 2 parts so that they integrate well. Mix it all well, but don't beat much at this point. After adding the flour, the batter should not be beaten much, as that will develop gluten and toughen it after it's baked.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake in the middle rack for about 40 minutes, until it rises, the top probably cracks, and a tester or toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Cool on a wire rack for about 30 minutes, and run a smooth-bladed knife along the sides of the pan that are not lined with paper to ensure no batter is stuck.
- Remove carefully from the pan, lifting the paper on both ends and together with the bread. Then remove the strip of paper. Cool completely on a wire rack.
- Store at room temperature covered in plastic wrap for 2 days, and after that, refrigerate or freeze, always well covered or wrapped.
Notes
Substitutions: use all-purpose flour, 2 cups total, and no whole wheat flour. Use vegetable oil (sunflower, canola, coconut) instead of butter, 8 tablespoons or ½ cup.
Toppings: sprinkle chopped walnuts or pecans on top of the batter before baking, or some cinnamon sugar for a crackly crust. Or both.
Add-ins: toss into the batter ½ a cup of raisins or cranberries, chopped pecans, walnuts, or chocolate chips.
Flavorings: add a teaspoon of orange zest to the cinnamon and vanilla, or use apple pie spice mix instead. Or add a second spice like nutmeg or mace.
Individual loaves of bread: make cute little mini applesauce breads to give as gifts. The baking time will be less.
