Buck’s Monthly Bake: Apple Cinnamon Bread

So you laid out your favorite flannel and black leggings and took that hay ride with your friends out to the apple orchard. You already posted the pics on Instagram, but now what on earth are you going to do with 25 apples? You can’t be expected to eat THAT much fruit! Don’t worry, with this Apple Cinnamon Bread recipe, you will be downing all the nutrients and memories those apples contain in an edible way. 

Instructions:

1. Chop 2 peeled apples into chunks the size of a cheez-it (if cheez-its were 3D), and toss them in 1/3 cup of brown sugar and 1 ½  teaspoons of ground cinnamon. Put these in a bowl to the side to let all the goodness marinate into the apples.
2. Preheat your oven to 350◦F and grease a 9×5 in loaf pan with butter and flour or nonstick spray.
3. Whisk 1 ¾ cups of flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and a heaping pinch of salt together in a large bowl. Set aside. Using an electronic mixer, beat the ½ cup softened butter and ¾ cup white sugar together on high until smooth and creamy. Add 2 eggs and beat on medium until combined. Beat in 1/3 unsweetened applesauce and 1 teaspoon vanilla on medium. Mixture will look chunky, curdled, and disgusting, TRUST THE PROCESS! Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture and ½ cup room temp milk, alternating, on low until JUST combined. DO NOT overmix! The batter will be sticky and thick. 
4. Pour half the batter into the loaf pan then scrape the apple mixture from before, and all the gooey juice left behind, into the pan. Cover with remaining batter and use a knife to swirl the batter. 
5. Bake for 60-75 minutes (I always start with 55 just to be safe), loosely folding a tinfoil roof over the top at the 30 minute mark to prevent the top from getting too crispy. When a toothpick comes out clean from the middle, your loaf is ready.

Part of this recipe is inspired by Sallysbakingaddiction.com.