1 c Walnuts
1/2 c Butter
1 c Plus 2 T light brown sugar
2 Eggs
1 ts Vanilla extract
1 1/2 c Applesauce, unsweetened
1 2/3 c Flour
1/2 c Whole wheat flour
– preferably stoneground
1 ts Baking soda
1/4 ts Salt
1 1/2 ts Cinnamon
1/2 ts Nutmeg
1 lg Tart apple*, pared, cored,
– quartered and chopped
1/2 c Raisins, plumped if dry**
* Granny Smith or Greening ** to plump raisins: place them in a small
saucepan with water to cover. Bring to a simmer over moderate heat.
Drain thoroughly.
Preparation: Preheat oven to 350F. In the preheating oven, toast the
walnuts in a single layer in a roasting pan or jelly roll pan.
Coarsely chop and set aside to cool. Butter a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan and
set aside.
In a large bowl using an electric mixer at high speed, cream butter
until light. Gradually add the sugar and continue beating until
mixture is very light and fluffy. Change the mixer speed to medium.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating with each addition, then beat in
the vanilla and the applesauce. (The mixture will look hopelessly
curdled. Do not worry!)
Change the mixer speed ot low. Sift in the flours, baking soda, salt,
cinnamon, and nutmeg and beat just until combined. Stir in chopped
apple, raisins and walnuts.
Spread the batter in the prepared pan with a spatula, smoothing the
top.
Bake until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, about 90
minutes, loosly covering the top of the loaf with aluminum foil after
50 minutes or so if the loaf seems to darkening too quickly. Let the
loaf stan in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes before unmolding.
Cool completely before wrapping or serving.
Yields
1 9×5 loaf