Christmas Apple Bread (Kate’s Version)

9 Tbl butter, softened (½ cup plus 1Tbl)

1 cup sugar (I use Sucanat &/or Coconut Sugar. If you are using regular sugar, then do ½ C white & ½ C dark brown sugar.)

2 eggs

1 tsp avocado oil (or other vegetable oil)

2 tsp vanilla

½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp salt

3 Tbl “buttermilk”: add 1 tsp lemon juice to ⅓ cup milk and measure out 3 Tbs)

1 tsp baking soda

2 cups flour (I prefer Eikorn flour)

2 ½ cups peeled, diced apples (roughly ⅛ inch dice)

½ cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

subheading: Topping:

2 Tbs butter, softened

2 Tbs sugar

2 Tbs flour

1 tsp cinnamon

With a mixer, cream butter and sugar just until combined. (Do not overmix.)

Add all wet ingredients: eggs, oil, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt.

Create the “buttermilk”: add 1 tsp lemon juice to ⅓ cup milk and measure out 3

Tbs. Dissolve the baking soda in the buttermilk. Add it to the batter and mix everything until well combined (but not overmixed).

Stir in flour until combined. Stir in apples and nuts. Do not overmix.

Pour into greased and floured loaf pan. Sprinkle with topping. Bake on the top rack at 325° for 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Take it out of the oven when it is still slightly sticky inside. (It will continue to cook a bit as it cools.)

subheading: To make the topping:

Combine all ingredients and chop with knife and fork until coarse crumbs form. (In my experience, it ends up as more of a buttery goo , but that’s okay! Just break it up into pieces as you drop it on to the bread/muffins.)

Can be made as muffins (makes about 18, I think?) Bake at same temp, for roughly 20 mins (start checking at 15mins).

Tips for experimenting/adjusting the recipe:

Try more butter? Only add 1Tbl at a time.

Try cake flour maybe?

Remember: adding oil & butter is not actually adding “moisture,” it’s adding fat. If you need it to be more moist, try adding a smidge of actual water, more apples, or more milk (but not more baking soda!).

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