Fresh Apple Bread

This apple bread recipe is a spin off of the Fresh Peach Bread in a previous post with a few changes made.  Cinnamon was added, along with apple butter.  Brown sugar replaces some of the white sugar and I used apples instead of peaches.  We got lucky one day and ran across a basket of fabulous Honeycrisps that were seconds and half price.  They were almost perfect apples, except for a few natural scars and very few bruises.  We had to buy them and they were the inspiration for this apple bread.  Each one was huge and we have really enjoyed them.   One apple cut up was equal to 2 cups.  All weren't that big, but most were.  Honeycrisps seem to be the "bomb" apple.  They are always priced more that other varieties because of demand, but they are so worth it.

Note on Honeycrip Apples:  The Honeycrisp is a relatively new apple that is a cross between a Macoun and Honeygold and is American made.   This variety was developed by the University of Minnesota and introduced to the apple growers in 1991.  The Honeycrisp has been wildly successful and many growers can't keep them in stock.  As more growers are producing Honeycrisps availability is becoming less of a problem, although they are still priced higher than other apples.  They are great eating apples as they are sweet and tart at the same time and crisp.  They are also very good cooking and baking apples because of their texture and flavor, that is if you have enough left over to bake with.  The honeycrisp is a win-win apple, don't you think?  My family can't get enough of them.


There is a farmers market that I go to that has there own chickens and sells the eggs at their stand.  They are always mixed, not just brown or white or speckled, and this batch had a couple of blue eggs.  For some reason, I just really loved that and saved it for last.  Kinda silly, but fun and special to me.

Isn't it lovely, kinda like you want to take take of it.  Like the little kid on the block.

This bread is the same method as for the Peach Bread.  Mix all dry ingredients into one bowl and the wet into another and then add them together.  This is called the muffin method (or at least one name for it).  Preheat the oven to 350 degree and toast the nuts for 10 to 15 minutes and then cool them.  Chop the apple into 1/2 inch dice that equals to 2 cups.

 Here are the dry ingredients:  the flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.

And the wet:  eggs, sugars, vanilla and canola oil.

Make sure each bowl is mixed thoroughly before combining them together. 

After a gentle mix, add the apples and cooled nuts. Notice that the batter still shows some flour.  Not completely mixing the batter helps the batter from being over mixed when adding the apples and nuts.

 Now this is what it looks like when it is mixed up.  It is a thick and chunky batter.  I love large chunks of fruit and/or nuts in my breads.  If you like a smaller dice, go for it.

Put it in a pan . . .

. . . and bake those puppies at 350 degrees for about an hour.

Here is a loaf on a cooling rack.  I first I thought maybe they were too brown but the cinnamon and apple butter really darken the batter and the finished loaves.  These loaves went fast.  My family, with the help of my neighbor, devoured them.

One last suggestion:  Mix 1 tablespoon of apple cider with 1/2 cup of powdered sugar until well blended and drizzle over the top.  Just a little decadent touch to make these lovely home cooked loaves a bit special!

Fresh Apple Quick Bread
makes 2 9X5 inch loaves


3 eggs
3/4 cups white sugar
3/4 cups of light or dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
3/4 cup of canola oil
2 tablespoons of apple butter or apple cider
2 cups of fresh apples, diced 1/2 inch
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, unbleached
1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Toast the nuts for 10 to 15 minutes in the oven, stirring occasionally.  Set aside to cool.  Chop when cool enough.

Chop the apples into 1/2 inch size pieces and place in a bowl and set aside. Peeling the apples is unnecessary unless you want to. 

In one bowl mix the dry ingredients:  all purpose flour, white whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.  Set aside.

In another bowl mix the wet ingredients:  eggs, both sugars, apple butter or cider, oil and vanilla.

Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until almost completely mixed, you should still be able to see some of the dry ingredients.

Add the nuts and the apples and stir a couple of times until just mixed.  Do not over mix.  Pour into 2  greased 9 X 5 loaf pans and bake for 1 hour or until done.  Test for doneness with wooden skewer or toothpick.  When it comes out clean or with crumbs on it it is done.

Let cool in pans for 10 minutes and then take the loaves out and cool on a rack for 20 minutes.

Suggestion:  Mix 1 tablespoon of apple cider with 1/2 cup of powdered sugar until well blended and drizzle over the top.

Note:  Honeycrisp apples were used in the recipe and they worked very well.  Any favorite baking/pie apple should do well.

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