Fall brings apples, pumpkins, cool crisp weather and thoughts turn to baking. Apple pecan loaf is fragrant with warm spices, moist and tender and the star of the show is apples. Here’s how to make it:

Apple pecan loaf

makes 1 9×5 or 3 mini loaves

4 oz 1 stick butter at room temperature

1 c sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 cup flour (sometimes I use 1 c flour 1/2 c spelt flour)

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp allspice

1/4 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 heaping cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2 c sour cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 apple cored (peel left on) cut into thin slices

1/2 c roasted pecans chopped + handful whole pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter loaf pan (s).

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at time beating between each addition.

Whisk or sift flour, salt, baking soda and spices add to butter/egg mixture and beat only until combined.

Add the applesauce, sour cream and vanilla, beat until combined. Fold in the chopped pecans and add to prepared loaf pan. Place apple slices on top along with some whole pecans. Bake for approximately one hour for 9×5 and 40-45 minutes for mini loaves until golden brown and toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool on rack for 10 minutes in the pan, run butter knife on edges to loosen and cool on rack. Delicious served warm with some butter.

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