Whether it’s having an extra piece of pumpkin pie, another glass of wine or splurging on a gift for a loved one, the Holiday Season is all about indulging. I love the Holiday Season because I have an excuse to bake delicious treats for my family and friends. I adapted this Paleo Apple Walnut Spice Loaf recipe from food blogger Rachel Mansfield. This loaf epitomizes the balance I try to seek in the Holiday Season. I subbed butter, white sugar, and flour for coconut flour, coconut oil and honey. The result is a delicious dessert that is not overly sweet or rich — it could even be warmed up for breakfast with a dollop of almond butter.
Although a Paleo dessert sounds complicated to make, I actually had many of the ingredients on hand. I love how this recipe uses such flavorful and rich substitutes for traditional ingredients. Taking a bite into a piece of the loaf, my taste buds were immediately overwhelmed with a warm nutty flavor from the almond butter and a taste of apple pie from the apples and spices. The use of coconut flour makes the loaf very dense and moist; it feels more substantive than a traditional cake or bread.
The recipe from Rachel Mansfield calls for a streusel topping made from coconut sugar, cinnamon and walnuts. The topping is definitely not complicated to make, but I decided to top the loaf with one of my favor cinnamon granolas. Whichever you make, the topping is a crucial element of the recipe; it adds a sweet, nutty and crunchy layer. The taste of the loaf and the aroma that filled my kitchen are enough to entice me to make this recipe throughout the Holiday Season.
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
3 Eggs
1 Cup unsweetened apple
3 Tablespoons raw honey**
2 Tablespoons coconut oil
2/3 Cup nut butter (I used almond butter)
Dry Ingredients
½ Cup coconut flour
1 Medium/large apple, diced and peeled
½ Teaspoon allspice
½ Teaspoon cinnamon
½ Teaspoon cloves**
½ Teaspoon nutmeg
½ Teaspoon vanilla extract**
½ Teaspoon baking powder
1/3 Cup raw walnuts, chopped
Topping Option 1
¼ Cup almond flour
¼ Cup coconut sugar
2 Tablespoons coconut oil melted and cooled
1 Teaspoon cinnamon
¾ Cup chopped walnuts
Topping Option 2
1/3 Cup cinnamon flavored granola
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line or spray a loaf pan
2. Combine the wet ingredients using an electric mixer
3. Fold in dry ingredients using a spatula
4. Combine ingredients for streusel topping (if you are using granola you can skip this step)
5. Pour dough into the loaf pan
6. Top the dough with the streusel topping or granola
7. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or insert a toothpick and check if it is clean
8. Let cool, slice and indulge!
**Indicates changes I made to Rachel Mansfield’s original recipe
Orginial Recipe: http://rachlmansfield.com/paleo-cinnamon-apple-streusel-bread/