Apple bread with whipped honey butter

Flavoursome, fruity and deeply satisfying this apple loaf is the essence of Autumn. Here it’s perfectly teamed with the whipped honey butter, but fresh ricotta and honey also makes a wonderful topping.

Apple bread with whipped honey butter Credit: Alan Benson

• serves

  6

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  1:20 hour

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 150 g (1 cup) plain flour
• 150 g (1 cup) plain wholemeal flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 220 g (1 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
• 100 g (1 cup) pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped
• 4 medium (about 160g each) Granny Smith, golden delicious, gala or pink lady apples
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 125 ml (½ cup) sunflower or light olive oil, plus extra to grease
• 2 tsp natural vanilla essence or extract

Whipped honey butter

• 125g butter, softened
• 2 tbsp floral honey

 

Instructions

Preheat oven to 180ºC (160ºC fan-forced). Brush a 9 cm x 19 cm (base measurement) loaf tin with a little extra oil to grease and line the base and two long sides with one piece of baking paper.

Sift together the flours, baking powder, cinnamon and mixed spice into a large bowl, returning any husks from the flour to the bowl. Stir in the sugar and pecans.

Core and then coarsely grate 3 apples. Squeeze out any excess liquid using your hands and place in a medium bowl. Add the eggs, oil and vanilla and use a fork to whisk together until evenly combined. Add to the dry ingredients and use a large metal spoon or spatula to fold together until just combined.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth surface with the back of a spoon. Quarter, core and thinly slice the remaining apple and arrange on the top of the loaf. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand in the tin for 5 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool.

Meanwhile, to make the whipped honey butter, use an electric mixer to beat the butter and honey until pale and creamy. Transfer to a serving dish, cover and set aside in a cool place.

Cut the apple bread into 2cm-thick slices and serve fresh or toasted spread with the whipped honey butter.

Baker’s tip

• This apple bread will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

• To freeze, cut into slices and either wrap each slice separately in plastic wrap or separate the slices with freezer wrap. Seal in a plastic bag and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature or toast straight from the freezer.

• It is also delicious served toasted. If you wish to toast it, make it without the sliced apple on top as it tends to burn during toasting.

Anneka's mission is to connect home cooks with the magic of baking, and through this, with those they love. Read our interview with her or for hands-on baking classes and baking tips, visit her at BakeClub. Don't miss what's coming out of her oven via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

Photography by Alan Benson. Styling by Sarah O’brien. Food preparation by Kerry Ray. Creative concept by Lou Fay.

For more recipes, view our online column, Bakeproof.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.