Apple Spice Walnut Loaf

The recipe below is what I made and the loaf came out a bit tough.  I was trying to avoid using eggs.  While the flavor was on point the texture was not, so this weekend or next weekend this is what I’ll be doing differently.

1. No icing.  Just in case it comes out tough I will be able to nuke for 10-15 seconds.  With icing, warming it up is impossible.
2. 2 eggs whites.  This is a quick bread, not a cake, so I don’t want it too moist but I don’t want it heavy as lead.
3. 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup white sugar. It was a bit too sweet.  This could have been because of the icing.
4. 1 cup sour cream. While sour cream shouldn’t affect the flavor that much it may fix my density issue.
5. Steam baking. I’m going to tent the batter with foil for the 1^st 15 minutes of baking to give it a soft top crust.

Ingredients

Butter Flavored cooking spray

1 stick butter

4 Granny Smith, Gala, or McIntosh Apples, peeled and cored, cut into 1/2-inch dice and tossed with a little lemon juice

1/2 lemon, juiced

1 cup apple cider

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tbsp + 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 tsp nutmeg, divided

1/2 tsp allspice, divided

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 + 1/3  cup sugar, divided

Pinch kosher salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup toasted and chopped walnuts

Cream Cheese cing, recipe follows

Directions

A.  Prepare Applesauce

1.    Melt the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat.

2.    Toss in the apples and stir to coat them with the butter.

3.    Add the l tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp allspice, lemon juice, and the apple cider.

4.    Cook until the apples have softened and the cider has reduced by half.

5.    Transfer the mixture to a food processor and pulse into a coarse paste.

6.    Reserve applesauce mixture, allowing to cool.

B.  Prepare Dry Ingredients

1.    In a large mixing bowl sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, allspice, both of the sugars, and a pinch of salt. 

2.    Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and slowly pour applesauce into the center of the well.

3.    Combine the applesauce and the dry together until combined.  Do not over mix or else the loaf will be tough

4.    Fold nuts into the batter last.

5.    Preheat over at 350.

6.    Prepare the loaf pan: Mix together 1/3 cup white sugar and 1/2 tbsp of cinnamon. 

7.    Spray the cooking spray into the loaf pan.  Pour the cinnamon sugar into the loaf pan and coat the pan evenly.

8.    Pour batter into the loaf pan.

9.    Bake for 60 mins or until bamboo stick comes out clean.

10. Let cool 15 minutes in the loaf pan.  Carefully, remove from loaf pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack before icing. (See instructions below for icing.)

11. Once cool, cut loaf in half horizontally. Spread the icing across the middle of the loaf.

12. Replace the top of the loaf. Frost the top with the remaining icing. 

C.  Lemon Cream Cheese Icing

1tbsp lemon juice

1 cup confection sugar

1-8 oz pkg cream cheese room temperature

1 stick butter room temperature

1.  Cream together the butter and cream cheese

2.  Slowly add confection sugar. Beat until all lumps are gone.

3.  Add Lemon juice.

4.  Beat together until smooth and fluffy.