Maggie Austin’s Apple Bread

By S_brabec

Easy to assemble and terrifically fragrant as it bakes, this bread is a family recipe of professional cake baker Maggie Austin LaBaugh, and now it's made daily at Buzz Bakeshop, where she's the culinary director.

Once the apples are cut into thin slices, you can cut them further into pieces of any size.

Make Ahead: The loaves can be wrapped well and kept at room temperature for several days.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups flour
• 4 medium apples, cored, peeled and thinly sliced, then cut into pieces (4 cups packed)
• 1 1/2 cups pecans or walnuts, coarsely chopped

Details

Adapted from washingtonpost.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 loaf pans with cooking oil spray.

Whisk together the cinnamon, allspice, salt, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, vanilla extract, eggs and oil in a mixing bowl until well incorporated. Stir in the flour just until no dry spots remain, to form a stiff batter, then fold in the apples and nuts; the mixture will look more like coated apples and nuts than like cake batter.

Divide the batter evenly between the loaf pans, smoothing the tops. Bake (middle rack) for 60 to 75 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each loaf comes out clean. The tops will be firm and browned. Cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then dislodge from the pans and place on the wire rack to cool completely before serving or storing.