Applesauce Oatmeal Bread

Almost every fall, the same pattern repeats itself in my kitchen. I start September off in complete apple mode. It kicks off with a trip to the orchard to pick apples, and then I spend weeks trying to find ways to use them all. By the time October nears, I’m definitely ready to make the transition from apple baking to pumpkin baking. I bought so many cans of pumpkin last year to stock up that I still haven’t gone through all of them, despite many, many pumpkin treats having emerged from the kitchen.

At some point late in the fall I usually start missing apples and incorporate them back into my kitchen, and I hit that wall late last week. Over the weekend I stocked up again, and apple recipes have literally been the only thing happening in my kitchen (or rather, Shane’s parents’ kitchen) for the past 5 days. They’re going to come home from Hawaii and find their freezer packed with apple desserts but something tells me they won’t mind one bit 🙂

This applesauce oatmeal bread is actually one I made several weeks ago that’s been hiding out in the archives. It’s the perfect “I want to bake but only have 10 minutes to spare” recipe. In true quick bread fashion, you mix together the wet and dry ingredients in separate bowls then combine them and throw it all in a pan. An hour later you have a tender bread packed with fall spices and apple flavor. The only thing that can make this bread better is a generous smear of cream cheese frosting on each slice!

And with that, I’m off to check out a forecast for this “Frankenstorm” that is apparently making its way to New England. Shane’s parents live on the coast (I can literally look out the window and see the ocean) so here’s hoping things don’t get too crazy…

Applesauce Oatmeal Bread
barely adapted from King Arthur Flour

1 cup (7 oz) sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup (3 1/2 oz) canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup (2 oz) white whole wheat flour
1 cup (4 1/4 oz) all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 3/4 oz) old-fashioned oats
3/4 cup (5 oz) cinnamon applesauce (plain is fine too)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Coat a 9×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Whisk the sugar, eggs, oil and vanilla together in a large bowl. Add both flours, the baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and salt to a medium bowl then whisk to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing just until incorporated. Stir in the oats and applesauce until incorporated.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. Bake for about 1 hour, or until a thin knife inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean. Remove the pan to a wire rack and allow the bread to cool for about 15 minutes, then turn it out of the pan and cool completely on the rack.