Apple Carrot Bread

 

This is a bread....not a cake! It's very moist due to the apples, but not heavy. It's great with a cup of your favorite tea or coffee. It also freezes well. I have tried to keep the sugar and oil levels well below that used in many other recipes on the internet! The batter will be very thick but that's because it's a bread, not a cake. Goes well with orange marmalade spread on top!

3/4 cup coarsely shredded carrots

3/4 cup coarsely shredded apple (peeled or unpeeled, your choice)

1/2 cup Brown sugar, lightly packed

1/3 cup vegetable oil

¼ cup milk

2 eggs

1/3 cup dried fruit of your choice

¾  cup all-purpose flour

¾ cup whole wheat flour

¼ cup coarsely chopped nuts

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon allspice

½ teaspoon nutmeg

Juice of 1 small lemon

1 teaspoon finely grated ginger

1 teaspoon orange extract OR Vanilla (your preference)

2 tablespoons old fashioned oats

DIRECTIONS

1.     Heat oven to 350°F. Line bottom only of loaf pan with parchment paper, grease and flour sides.

2.      Mix carrots, dried fruit, apple, and ginger, in a bowl. Add the lemon juice to the mixture.

3.     Mix flours and spices, Baking powder, nuts, soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside.

4.     Whisk the eggs, milk, vanilla (or orange extract),  sugar and oil together until pale in color. Stir in shredded apple/carrot mixture then add all dry ingredients at one time. Mix until just combined and pour into pan. Sprinkle the oats on top of the batter, and lightly press the flakes into the batter

5.     Bake 40-45 minutes or until a tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Loosen sides of loaf from pan; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely.