Long, long ago in a place not so terribly far away a now out of business restaurant in a small town served apple bread with every meal. It was their signature dish. No one remembers their steaks, salads, desserts, or beverages. But their apple bread? Oh yeah! This simple loaf is comfort in the oven. It is slightly sweet and warmly spiced, with an ever-so-slightly perfectly cracked top. I had forgotten all about this little gem.
Thanks to FaceBook this old friend came knocking on my profile in recipe form. I had forgotten about Apple Bread! And this is not just any apple bread; it is Chieftain Apple Bread. It is the good stuff. The bread made from Washington State Apples!
The FaceBook recipe suggested baking the bread in one large loaf pan but The Chieftain always served it baked in small loaves. I baked it in 3 small loaf pans for its initial run but decided I should have divided the recipe into 4 loaves. I like the small loaves.
The bread is simple to make, requires no unique ingredients, and is economical for a family budget.
I am sad The Chieftain went out of business. It was a great restaurant; at least the apple bread was great. I guess a restaurant just can't make it on apple bread alone. But they should. This is seriously good stuff.
Apple Bread
1 cup sugar 1¾ cup flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon nutmeg ½ teaspoon cinnamon 1 egg beaten
½ cup milk ½ cup oil 1 cup thinly sliced apples
Prepare 4 mini loaf pans by spraying them with nonstick spray. Set aside. Preheat oven to 325°.
Before mixing the dry and wet ingredients together peel and thinly slice apple. Cut each slice in half. I like golden delicious for this recipe. It is a sweet apple that bakes up soft and sweet; perfect for apple bread. Set aside.
In a large mix bowl sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
Measure milk and oil into a 2 cup liquid measuring cup. Lightly beat egg into milk and oil.
Pour liquid milk and oil mixture into the sifted dry ingredients. Mix with a spatula just until combined. Fold in apple slices.
Scoop the stiff batter into the 4 prepared loaf pans. Bake at 325° for 30 minutes. Insert a toothpick into the center of a loaf to check for done-ness. If the toothpick comes out with only a few crumbs stuck to it then the bread is done. I baked my loaves for 35 minutes.
Let the loaves cool on a wire cooling rack for 10 minutes and then turn out of their pans to cool completely.