HARVEST PUMPKIN APPLE BREAD

Recipe Notes: This recipe comes from the monthly newsletter sent out by the folks at Nestlé. If you have not visited VeryBestBaking.com, I heartily recommend it. You'll find many treats, like this apple-filled pumpkin bread.

Preparation Time: One hour and 30 minutes

Quantity: 2 loaves

Source: Very Best Baking Times

Ingredients:

• 3 c. all-purpose flour
• 2 t. ground cinnamon
• 2 t. baking soda
• 1 1/2 t. salt
• 3 c. granulated sugar
• 1 c. canned pumpkin
• 4 large eggs
• 1 c. vegetable oil (for healthier version, use 1/2 c. apple sauce and 1/2 c. oil instead)
• 1/2 c. apple juice (or water)
• 1 large apple, peeled, cored, and chopped

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Grease and flour 2 9"x5" loaf pans.
• Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Combine sugar, pumpkin, eggs, oil, and apple juice in a separate large bowl; beat until just blended. Add pumpkin mixture to flour; stir until just moistened. Fold in apples. Spoon batter into loaf pans.
• Bake 65 to 70 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Tips:

• I prefer the apple sauce variation mentioned above. The bread comes out incredibly moist and delicious.
• Wrapped in foil, this bread will keep for about one week. Extra loaves may be kept in the freezer for later.