Enjoy an afternoon break, snacking on this tender Applesauce Walnut Bread topped with a Cinnamon-Orange Glaze. Better yet, bake two!
Learning to bake was probably one of the best skills I ever learned. Seriously. Baked goods are so enticing and yet they can add up at the check stand. You can save a pretty penny when you bake something yourself.
Not to mention the fact that home baked goods typically taste so much better than store-bought. Unless you’ve got a fabulous patissier or boulanger right down the street from you, you’re better off making it yourself.
I can bake today, thanks to my Gramma John’s great example, my favorite childhood book, Ginny and the Cooking Contest, and my mom’s giving me free reign in the kitchen.
One of our family’s favorite recipes is this Applesauce Bread.
I love this bread. It’s really more like a cake. But, we’ll just call it a bread and we’ll feel less guilty.
This bread is tweaked from a recipe in an old Silver Palate Cookbook. I have healthified it just a tad, using whole wheat pastry flour instead of unbleached. I also ditched the raisins and tweaked the fats and sugars. Because I do that. Tweak things.
If you can’t find whole wheat pastry flour, you can use regular whole wheat flour or just sub in unbleached. I won’t tell.
Now that we know my daughter has a severe walnut allergy, I no longer make this bread with nuts. It’s just as good without it, but it is really good with walnuts as well.
I do recommend that you use homemade applesauce whenever possible. Commercial applesauce just doesn’t have the flavor that the real deal imparts.
Applesauce Walnut Bread with Cinnamon Orange Glaze
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup neutral oil
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 2 egg
- 2 cup applesauce
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 2 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon divided usage
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3 tbsp orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°. Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. .
- In a large mixing bowl combine the oil and brown sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Stir in the applesauce and vanilla extract. .
- In another large mixing bowl, sift together flours, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, and baking soda. Add this to the wet mixture. Sprinkle the walnuts over the dry ingredients. Gently fold until well incorporated. .
- Pour into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 70-85 minutes or until tester comes out with a few crumbs attached. Cool on rack. .
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the powdered sugar and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Stir in the orange juice until smooth. Glaze the cooled bread.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published February 18, 2010. Updated May 6, 2017.
Jenn Papale
Jess, i searched your site for applesauce bread recipes because i remember reading them over last fall/winter. I made this this afternoon, added dried cranberries instead of walnuts because that’s what I had. Also used my crockpot applesauce (well, your recipe) from the freezer, and it is amazing. Baby girl (18 months) loves it- she kept saying her favorite word “more?” great recipe. I love using ww pastry flour, feels guilt free! Thanks for another fabulous recipe!
Jessica
Yeah!
Hope
I made this bread last night. It is very good. I used 1/2 cup whole wheat flour. Can you find ww pastry flour in your grocery stores? I have not been able to and the ww flour I do find is really heavy. Thanks for sharing your recipes and your insights. I really enjoy your blog!
Jessica
@Hope, I have bought it at the “healthier” grocery stores, like Sprouts and Henrys. It usually goes on a really good sale at the holidays.
I also have bought it from a food co-op, like Azure Standard.
Readers have told me that they often substitute white whole wheat flour instead. It is a softer wheat than regular whole wheat and readily available at many grocery stores.
Claire
I may just bake this tonight. I just put 2 batches of the MIx N Match Muffins in the oven, a snack while the family watches Wipeout. LOL This would be good to freeze for future use.