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Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Pumpkin Apple Streusel Loaf


I'm thisclose to tears. 

Pull up a chair and let me tell you about it. 

This past weekend, I had Saturday all to my lonesome. When you're a Mom, you know how rare it is to score a day, sans kids and husband. It's important to take every minute of that time and use it wisely, simply because these days do NOT roll around often. A few hours here and there, sure, but from like seven o'clock am to seven o'clock pm? No. 

I had planned on doing some yard work, but it turned out to be a very wet and rainy day, so instead, I thought it would be a good idea to use that time and make several treats for the blog. By the end of the day, I was happy with all my recipes and their outcome; by the end of the weekend, I was quite happy with all the photos I shot. All in all, it was a pretty successful weekend. 

That is until stupid Monday interfered. As I went to download the 18,000 photos I had taken to my computer yesterday, the memory card decided it needed to be formatted right then and there, doing so without being prompted and lost ALL. MY. WORK. All of it. Every last photo, including some fantastic photos of my kids. This is, OF COURSE, after I ordered all the food out of the house. 

GOOD TIMES. 

I thought my bad streak of misfortune for the year happened this week and the universe would bugger off, leaving well enough alone, but it seems it wants yet another piece of me. Jerk.

Excuse me while I go and stuff my face. 


PUMPKIN APPLE STREUSEL LOAF

3 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
3 large eggs
2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
½ cup granulated sugar
2 cups Gala Apples, peeled, diced, and cored
½ cup unsalted butter, melted
½ cup canola oil
15 ounce can pure pumpkin - not pumpkin pie filling

Streusel Topping:
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup rolled oats
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
4 tablespoons cold butter

Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare two 9" loaf tins by spraying with non-stick spray.

To make streusel:

In a small bowl, combine first 4 ingredients in a bowl. Using a fork, cut in cold butter until mixture comes together and resembles coarse crumbs; set aside. 

To make loaf:

In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice; set aside. 

In another bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and oil with brown and granulated sugars. Add in eggs, one at a time, until blended. Beat in pumpkin. Add dry ingredients until just incorporated. Stir in apples. 

Divide batter between two prepared loaf pans. Sprinkle a generous amount of streusel topping over entire surface of each loaf. (You may have some streusel crumbs left over). Bake for 45-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. 

Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack. Cut into slices. 

These loaves freeze beautifully. 

8 comments:

  1. So so sorry. That is the worst! If I were there we could commiserate over a proper bottle of red and something decidedly decadent. Hope things swing the good luck way from now on.

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    1. Thanks Renee! I have my fingers and toes crossed. I don't know what's going on, but I am SO over this bad luck - like, dunzo! XO

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  2. Oh my! I'm so sorry. I can't even imagine your pain at the time. But the good thing is your recipes are now ready to just be made :) Hope the week gets better!

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    1. Thanks Zainab! That's the silver lining here for sure. They all passed the recipe test and retest, it's just a matter of making and reshooting. And who doesn't' love receiving treats? XO

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  3. On the bright side, you still had a Saturday all to yourself :)

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  4. Oh no, that would just make me want to cry too :( I am nervous literally every time I click "import photos" after one bad loss of kid pics. On the bright side, this loaf looks absolutely amazing. Pinned :)

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  5. What a shame that your memory card decided all on its own to *edit* your photos. The food ones can be redone but it's sad to have lost all the ones of your kids *in the moment* Hope you have a better week coming up. This loaf looks amazing, I love the streusel topping.

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