Applesauce Loaf

Applesauce Loaf (Source: Maida Heatter's Cakes (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 2011 ed., pg. 255).

This recipe is very similar to the one I just posted - the Blueberry Applesauce Loaf. Since I wasn't too happy with the taste of that one, I decided to eliminate the whole wheat flour and use all-purpose flour (so I used 2 cups of all-purpose flour and no whole wheat flour). This is a matter of personal preference. I thought it tasted much better without using the whole wheat but using either method will work fine for the recipe. 

I still have applesauce left from the Chunky Applesauce I made earlier so I'm still using that. I was looking through her books again last night and noticed that I haven't made the Chocolate Applesauce Cake yet! A serious omission and one that I must do soon! 

1 cup raisins
1 cup sifted all-purpose white flour (or 2 cups if you want to use instead of the whole wheat flour)
1 cup sifted all-purpose whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups walnuts, halves or large pieces
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. powdered instant expresso or coffee
4 oz. unsalted butter
3/4 cup light or dark brown sugar, firmly packed
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cups sweetened or unsweetened applesauce

Preheat oven to 350. Butter (or spray) a 8 cup capacity loaf pan and dust with fine, dry bread crumbs (or flour).

Add two tablespoons of white flour (reserving the rest) and toss it with the raisins and nuts. Set aside.

Sift the reserved flour with the salt, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and powdered instant coffee.

Beat the butter until soft, add the sugar and and eggs and mix well. 

Add the applesauce. 

On low speed, add the whole-wheat flour (or do like I did and use white flour).

Remove the mixer bowl and stir in the raisins and nuts. 

Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and smooth the top. With the spatula, form a shallow trench down the middle lenghtwise. This will keep it from rising too high in the middle. 

Bake for 50 -60 minutes until a tester comes out the center clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack. Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight before slicing.

Blueberry Applesauce Loaf

Blueberry Applesauce Loaf (Source: Maida Heatter's Cakes (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 2011 ed., pg. 270).

I wanted to make something with the applesauce that I just made so I decided to try the Blueberry Applesauce Loaf since I had some blueberries in the freezer. I have to say that this was far from my favorite. I believe that it is the whole wheat flour that I did not like. The cake is very dense and bakes beautifully. The blueberry flavor is very nice and intense but the flavor of the cake was lacking. I plan to make the Applesauce Loaf (a very similar recipe but without the blueberries) next and I'm going to use all-purpose flour and omit the wheat flour and see how it turns out. Tune in later for that!

1 1/2 cups pecan pieces, toasted
2 cups fresh blueberries
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 cup sifted all-purpose wheat flour
1 TBS baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp mace
2 eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup plus 2 TBS sugar
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tsp. lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350. Butter (or spray) 2 loaf pans that have a 4 or 5 cup capacity.

Wash the berries and let them drain.

Finely grind 3/4 of the pecans (reserving the other 3/4 cup) and dust the buttered pans with them.

Remove 1 tablespoon of the flour. Sift the remaining flour, the whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and mace and set aside. 

Beat the eggs slightly. 

Mix in the oil. 

Add one cup of the sugar, reserving 2 tablespoons. 

Add the applesauce

Add the lemon juice

On low speed, add the sifted ingredients

Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir in the nuts. 

Add the reserved tablespoon of flour to the berries and toss gently.

Fold the berries into the batter. 

Divide the batter between the two pans and smooth the tops. Sprinkle the tops with the reserved sugar and additional nuts if desired. 

Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.