Apple Spice Quick Bread

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apple-spice-quick-bread

Can you believe that yesterday marked 10 years?

One decade.

3650 days since that fateful Tuesday in September when we watched in horror as 3000 men, woman, and children lost their lives.

Yesterday, a bitter sweet day to honor and remember those that died and the families and loved ones left behind.

I spent the day with my husband and boys. Hugging them a little tighter, shedding a tear or two while watching the tv, and warming the house with some fall baking.

On such a solemn day, nothing was more grounding to me than spending time in the kitchen with my family.

We settled on some apple spice quick bread. Simple, comforting, and the perfect way to ring in the fall weather.

cooked-dried-apples-for-quick-bread

This bread gets a triple dose of apples. Dried apples are cooked in apple juice and apple butter keeps this bread super moist. You could use apple sauce in a pinch but if you can find apple butter or better yet have some of the homemade stuff, use that. It is more intense in flavor and really adds to the depth of the bread. I’m not a huge fan of apple chunks in things so I puree the apples before adding them to the bread.

apple-butter

A healthy amount of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves makes this bread perfect for the fall weather. You could sprinkle the bread with powered sugar or make a glaze to drizzle on top but I like it as is. It’s absolutely perfect with a smear of whipped cream cheese.

apple-spice-bread-with-cream-cheese

A fellow food blogger and friend is sharing a link up of remembrance cakes for 9/11. Head over to Marla’s site to see what other recipes, tributes and blessings people are sharing.

9-11 Remembrance – FamilyFreshCooking.com

We remember. We’ll never forget.

Apple Spice Quick Bread

Ingredients

  • 1 cup apple juice
  • 1 cup diced dried apples
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
  • pinch ground cloves
  • 1 cup apple butter (or apple sauce)
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 stick ( 1/2 cup) butter, melted and cooled
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Baking Directions

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Prepare a standard loaf pan with cooking spray. Simmer the apple juice and dried apples together in a medium sauce pan over medium heat until all the apple juice has evaporated about 15 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. In a food processor or blender, puree the apple butter (or apple sauce) with the cooled diced apples until smooth. Meanwhile, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves together; set aside. In large bowl, whisk together sugar, egg and vanilla. Stir in melted butter. Alternating, add the flour mixture and the apple mixture to the egg and sugar. Stir just to combine, taking care not to over mix. Put batter in prepared ban and bake on the middle rack of oven for about 45 minutes or until bread is done and toothpick inserted into the middle of the bread comes out clean. Remove bread from oven and let cool on baking rack for 10-15 minutes before removing bread from pan and let cool completely.