I like a banana bread, but today, I was looking at my fruit bowl and wondered if other fruit could be used in place of the bananas. How about apple bread I thought? Ooh, or spiced apple bread?
How can I make apple bread healthy?
To make the apple bread healthy, I substituted rapeseed oil for butter, and added some heart healthy walnuts. I didn’t think of it at the time, but I could have used wholemeal flour too for more fibre, which we could all do with more of.
Spiced apple bread
I used a tsp of ground cloves as I wanted some spice in there, but next time I wouldn’t, I’d either miss it out altogether, or use mixed spice instead. A big grating of nutmeg would be lovely too
Fruit Bread
The spiced apple bread was a successful experiment. You can’t really taste the apple much in there, but I wouldn’t want to add any more. Perhaps small chunks of apple would give more apple flavour, just small pieces, like a pea. Dried apple pieces would be good too. I’ve got some in the cupboard, dehydrated from apples from our little trees.
It is a nice moist tea-bread, any more would make it too wet. I would def add a handful of raisins or sultanas next time.
I was encouraged by trying this, and I think using strawberries from the freezer (defrosted) would give a nice result, maybe with a bit more vanilla, and maybe a hint of basil. Then there are tinned pears and white chocolate, or peaches and currants. In short, I think any cooked soft fruit would give a delicious tea-time fruit bread. There are enough variations that you could make the same recipe every week for lunch boxes etc without apparently repeating a recipe.
The fruit bread, once cold, slices beautifully and freezes well. Try it toasted too with butter and jam – lovely!
Ingredients
- 320 g apple cooked, about 2 apples, 32p
- 2 eggs 13p each, 26p
- 100 ml rapeseed oil 100ml or 60g, 11p
- 100 g sugar 6p
- 1 tsp vanilla essence or almond essence, 15p
- 60 g walnuts crushed, 7p
- 250 g self raising flour 7p
- ½ tsp bicarbonate soda
Instructions
- Use a stick blender or large spoon to mulch together the apple, eggs, oil, sugar and essence
- Then sieve together the flour and bicarbonate. To be honest, I know you should sieve flour, but I rarely do. Add the walnuts
- Add the flour mix to the apple mix and stir together. Stir it just enough to mix, don't beat it.
- Pour the mixture into a greased or lined cake or loaf tin. I usually use a 2lb loaf tin as I like to slice it like a loaf
- Bake at 180°C (GM4) for 80 mins until knife comes out clean.
click here to start an 80 minute timer - Once cold, store in an airtight container. Should keep for 7 – 10 days. Or wrap and freeze. Perfect for packed lunches.
Equipment Needed
Notes
Total nutrition 2150 calories, 40g protein, 90g fat, 280g carbs Add raisins or other dried fruit. Use wholemeal flour or dark brown sugar. Zest in a lemon and some lemon juice Or you could swap out the apple for any other fruit that's soft, cooked pears for instance or tinned apricots, Once cooked and cooled, spread with butter and/or jam or peanut butter if you like.
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