Author Notes
Although I've been cooking since I was 14, I haven't been baking for long. It used to be something that I found intimidating and scary. Then, somehow, I discovered the zen of baking, let go of my fear, and started baking more. The delicious taste of home-baked items and the way they make the house smell made getting over the fear a bit easier.
Quick breads are some of my favorite items to bake and I was looking for a good one with a nice fall flavor. I found a recipe for an applesauce bread with rolled oats on a blog called Half-Assed Kitchen. With just a few quick changes I had the bread I was after. In went: some whole wheat flour, a bit more applesauce to replace some of the butter the original recipe called for, a mixture of spices for the autumnal flavor I wanted, and steel-cut oats instead of rolled oats for a chewy texture and nutty flavor. This bread has a moist, cakey texture, subtle flavors of apple and spice, and it will make your house smell amazing -- plus it's not terribly unhealthy. And who could ask for more than that? —alliecooks
Ingredients
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1 1/4 cups
unsweetened applesauce
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1/2 cup
granulated sugar
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1/2 cup
dark brown sugar
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5 tablespoons
butter (room temperature)
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3/4 cup
all purpose flour
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3/4 cup
whole wheat flour
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1 teaspoon
baking powder
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1 teaspoon
ground cardamom
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1/2 teaspoon
ground ginger
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1/4 teaspoon
ground cinnamon
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1/4 teaspoon
ground allspice
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1/2 teaspoon
salt
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2
eggs
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1 teaspoon
vanilla extract
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1 cup
steel cut oats
Directions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease one loaf pan. I used a non-stick loaf pan but still added a light layer of non-stick spray.
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In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, spices, and salt.
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In a large bowl, beat applesauce, sugars and butter together until well combined (about two minutes).
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Add dry ingredients to applesauce mixture and beat until just mixed. Then mix in eggs and vanilla. Fold in oats.
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Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Place in center of oven and bake 40 - 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
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Allow bread to cool completely in loaf pan and then remove by placing your hand on top of the bread, flipping the pan upside down, and letting the loaf fall into your hand. If it sticks at all, just use a thin, flexible spatula and gently wiggle it between the edges of the bread and the pan to loosen. Slice and serve as is or, if you want to up the apple ante, I like my slices topped with a little bit of apple butter or a dollop of chunky applesauce.
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To store, wrap rest of loaf in plastic wrap, place in a large resealable plastic bag, and store at room temperature.
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