Apple Walnut Bread

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The theme of the gift baskets I made for the neighbors this Christmas is apples. While I had filled them with chutney, two kinds of jelly and apple butter, I thought they still looked too skimpy for gifting . So, at the last minute I decided to add a cake-like apple bread to bulk them up a bit. The bread I selected is very easy to make and requires no special equipment, save for a wooden spoon, to assemble. It is very similar in taste to a Jewish apple cake. Now, I've always questioned that designation because both the Amish and Pennsylvania Dutch have a cake with nearly identical ingredients and taste. Turns out it's called "Jewish" because the cake is completely dairy free, and that makes it especially appropriate to serve for the holiday of Rosh Hashanah when sweet foods are eaten because they represent the wish for a happy, sweet year ahead. I wish my neighbors nothing less. Whatever their origins, all these cakes are delicious and take minutes to assemble once the apples are are sliced or diced. They age extremely well and actually taste better the day after they are made. Those of you who like sweet desserts will really enjoy this dense apple bread. Here's the recipe.

Apple Walnut Bread...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Leah Koenig

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large eggs
3 cups Red Delicious, Granny Smith or Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored and chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 cup toasted walnuts, chopped

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8 x 4 x 2-1/2-inch loaf pans. Set aside.
2) In a medium bowl, combine all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, salt, cinnamon and baking soda. Set aside.
3) In a small bowl, combine granulated and brown sugar, oil and vanilla extract. Add eggs one at a time, stirring to combine after each addition. Pour sugar mixture into dry ingredients and mix to combine. Fold apples and walnuts into batter, which will be very thick.
4) Scrape batter into prepared pans. Bake loaves for 45 to 60 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into middle of loaf comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack. Let sit for 10 minutes and then remove from pans. Yield: 2 loaves.








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