Double Apple Streusel Bread
Ingredients
For the Bread:
- 4 cups unpeeled, chopped apples
- 4 large eggs well beaten
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste such as Nielsen Massy’s
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 cups granulated sugar
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
For the Streusel:
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- +1 tablespoon raw sugar – for sprinkling on top of the streusel
Instructions
For the Bread
-
Warm up the oven to 350°F.
-
Lightly butter 2 standard (or 6 – 7 mini) loaf pans, then set aside.
-
In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs until frothy with an electric or stand mixer. Add the oil and apple sauce, and beat until blended. Add the vanilla bean paste, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and granulated sugar, and beat until completely combined.
-
Begin adding flour to the mixture, and stir with a spatula until roughly blended, then beat with the mixer until all ingredients combine and form a smooth, thick batter. Finally, fold in the chopped apples just until all the pieces are covered with batter.
-
Pour the batter into prepared pans. For 2 standard loaf pans, pour in about 3 ½ cups per pan. For mini loaf pans, pour in about 1 cup per pan.
For the Streusel
-
In a small bowl, add flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and softened butter. Using a pastry cutter or fork, roughly mix the ingredients until there are a variety of textures, but nothing larger than the size of a pea. (*See Cook’s Notes below if you have leftover streusel.)
-
Using a spoon or your fingertip, evenly sprinkle the streusel mixture on top of the batter in the pans. Lastly, sprinkle the raw sugar over the top of the streusel.
-
For standard loaves, bake for up to 1 hour – check after about 45 minutes. For mini loaves, check after 15 minutes. To check, insert a toothpick into the center of the loaves. When done, the toothpick will come out clean or with just a few fine crumbs on it. Remove the loaves from the oven and allow to cool for 10 – 15 minutes, then remove them from the pans and place on a cooling rack.
-
Serve warm, or at room temperature. Breads will stay fresh and soft when stored in an air-tight container. Refrigerate up to three days if making ahead, or wrap well and freeze for up to 30 days.
Recipe Notes
NOTES:
*To peel, or not to peel… That is entirely up to you. For whatever reason, I never peel my apples with this bread, and that added texture works beautifully in this recipe.
*Not all of the streusel ingredients will combine with the butter. Some will remain (like rough sand) in the bottom of the bowl. It seems like a lot, and you can certainly just load it all on top of your loaves. Otherwise, any leftovers can be kept in an air tight container in the refrigerator and enjoyed on top of anything from oatmeal and muffins to sweet potato casseroles.
*Do not overbake! Every oven cooks differently, so do yourself a favor and check your loaves early – especially if making mini loaves. The reward of a super delicious, super moist apple bread is well worth the effort!
*Recipe adapted from What Megan's Making and the Penzey's Spice catalog