Sylvia’s Apple Bread

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Someone in my Bible Study group made this bread and I knew I had to have the recipe.  Ironically, I already had the recipe.  It’s from Nordstrom’s Entertaining At Home Cookbook. The bread is sweet and moist and would make a nice addition to a brunch or as dessert with a spoonful of vanilla ice cream.  I made it for my book club and they enjoyed it as well.

Sylvia’s Apple Bread

4 tbsp unsalted butter for greasing loaf pan  (I just used cooking spray)

4 large eggs

2 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/3 cups corn oil

1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped (about 3 cups)

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp ground ginger

3/4 cup raisins

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped toasted walnuts (see Cook’s Note)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Coat the bottom and sides of two 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch glass loaf pans with butter.  I didn’t use glass pans which may be why my bread was done much sooner.  With an electric mixer set on low mix together the eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla until well combined.  Add the apples and stir to combine.  In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves and ginger.  with the mixer on low, add the flour mixture 1 cup at a time to the egg mixture. Do not over mix.  Stir in the raisins and walnuts.  Spoon the batter into the 2 prepared loaf pans, dividing it equally.

Bake the breads until a toothpick inserted into the center of each loaf comes out clean, about 1 1/2 hours.  I checked my bread at an hour and it was done.  I’m not sure why mine cooked a lot faster. Maybe it had something to do with the nonstick metal pans I used.  I would check it at 50 min. Remove from the oven and let the breads rest in the pans on wire racks for 15 minutes.  You should be able to remove the bread from the pan if you desire and let it cool a little longer before slicing.  This recipe makes 2 loaves.

Cook’s Note: To toast walnuts or pecans spread them on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in a 375 degree oven until they are fragrant and have darkened slightly 8 to 12 min.