Apple Pie Bread

If you have some apples begging to be used, use them to make this Apple Pie Bread. You would be glad you did, this is one delicious quick bread. This wonderful recipe is from Better Homes and Garden : Baking, a lovely cookbook with more than 350 recipes of delicious baking treats, with photos for each recipe. This was the cookbook I've used at Cookbook Countdown #2 back in February, and sharing it again this month for Cookbook Countdown #12.  For this month of December, we are using those books again, the ones that we have shared before at Cookbook Countdown from January to November. 

I've used Fuji apples, which are shredded, and there was a lot of juice, so I've squeezed the shredded apples gently, just to extract out most of the juice. Don't discard the juice, drink it, it's sweet and yummy, and good for you! I have omitted the walnuts in the batter, using it only for the streusel topping. As usual, I have reduced the sugar, by half. For the raisins, I have used a 1/4 cup more. Very easy quick bread to make. Once the batter is done, sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the top and bake as instructed. For the streusel topping, I've added half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon, after all apple pie always has ground cinnamon! 

Though the recipe indicated that the bread be double wrapped and left overnight before slicing, I did not wait that long. Sliced the cake after a few hours of cooling.

This quick bread is very moist and flavourful, with soft, tender crumbs. See the shredded apples throughout the slice. And I love the bite of the raisins in each slice. I did not miss the walnuts in the bread as there's walnuts in the streusel topping, which is "cinnamon-y" fragrant. This Apple Pie Bread is delicious, makes a perfect breakfast treat with a cup of hot coffee, or, perfect with in the afternoon with a cup of warm tea.

Apple Pie Bread
(Better Homes and Gardens : Baking)
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups shredded, peeled apples (about 4 medium)
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, lightly roasted (if desired)
1/2 cup raisins
1 recipe streusel-nut topping

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of an 9x5x3-inch loaf pan; set pan aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Beat in sugar until combined. Add buttermilk and baking powder; beat until combined. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until combined. Add flour and salt; beat until combined. Stir in apples, nuts, and raisins. Spoon batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly. Sprinkle Streusel-Nut Topping over batter.
3. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the centre comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove bread from pan. Cool completely on wire rack. Wrap and store overnight before slicing.

Streusel-Nut Topping :

In a small bowl, stir together 1/4 cup packed brown sugar and 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour. Cut in 3 tablespoons butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 1/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans. (I've added 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder).

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I'm linking this post with Cookbook Countdown #12 and Cookbook Countdown Bake (Oct to Dec 2016) hosted by 

Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray

Grab a  cookbook and join us!

Cookbook Countdown is a monthly cooking/baking event, which I'm co-hosting with Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray.  Everyone is welcome to join us. How does it work? To summarize, you may select a cookbook from your own cookbook collection, to cook or bake from each month. That selected book shall be your cookbook of the month. You may cook any recipes and as many recipes as you want from your selected book of the month. This is a fabulous way of using your cookbooks at least once! For more information on how to join Cookbook Countdown, please click here.