Glazed Apple and Walnut Bread

This Glazed Apple and Walnut Bread is a mouthful of fall in every bite.

Since today is that whole "unofficial first day of fall" thing, I wanted to kick it off with a bang. And...gulp, something non-pumpkin. I love pumpkin, but this year, I'm doing just a slight bit less of it and trying to add lots of apples and spices, too. 

While down here in Texas, it still feels like swimmin' pool weather, the only thing fall I'm able to really dive into is food. No sweaters or fun boots for us, yet...those will come out around November...if we're lucky. And I have yet to see a mum ready to be planted at the garden center. Just the same ol' 98 degree days we've been having for months now. Bleh.

But this bread certainly turned my lack-of-autumn frown upside down, y'all. I made it over the weekend for our Bible class and it went over great...'errrryone loved it. It was a combination of my favorite sweet bread recipe and my late Aunt Helen's Apple Cake. Check out the recipe below.

While I was really wanting to make a bread to kick off fall, I just couldn't quit thinking about my late Aunt Helen's Apple Cake and how perfect it was for this time of the year. However...I wasn't ready to commit to cake. I wanted bread...you know, less committal, right? And bread is gone in a day or two...cake lingers and taunts me with all of its calorie-laden goodness. 

My aunt's apple cake was one of those that just tasted like perfection. Fresh Granny Smiths, spices, and nuts combined for that classic autumn awesomeness. I found a few recipes for apple bread and then dragged in all of my aunt's ingredients to make this one my own. It's very moist and the chunks of fresh baked apple are just the perfect touch it needs. The glaze is optional...but was added at the request of my youngest son.

Glazed Apple and Walnut Bread:
Click here for printable version.

• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1 stick salted butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• pinch of clove
• pinch of nutmeg
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and finely chopped

Glaze:

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-2 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 350 and prepare a loaf pan (I used the flour-based baking spray, but you can grease and flour, if you prefer). 

Cream together white sugar and butter, until fluffy and combined. Add in eggs, one at a time, beating just after each addition. Add vanilla and mix until all combined.

Combine flours, baking powder, and salt. Add a little of this to the mix, alternating with milk, a little at a time each, until all is combined. Fold in walnuts.

Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg in a small bowl.

Spread an even layer of batter into prepared pan (about an inch deep). Sprinkle with half of the apples and half of the brown sugar and spice mixture. Spread rest of batter on top evenly. Cover with the rest of the apples and brown sugar mixture. Bake for 1 hour, or slightly less (depending on doneness). 

Allow to cool slightly then turn out on a wire rack to finish cooling. 

Combine powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk with a whisk until totally combined. For a thicker glaze, use less milk. I like to put my glaze into a zip top baggie and snip the end of it off to pipe the glaze onto the bread. You could also drizzle the glaze onto the bread with a spoon.

Slice and serve. This is a very cake-like bread...best eaten with a fork. ;)

Click here for printable version. 

It's the perfect recipe to bake your way right into fall...whether or not the weather is actually ready!

What do you like to bake during the cooler, crisp months?

Neglect your chores like me and don't miss a thing:

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