The marvelous smell of cinnamon baking
in the oven is like no other. It's spicy-sweet aroma wafts through your kitchen
and through the rest of your house causing family members to come and ask
"Whatcha makin'?" Makes me smile just thinking about it.
This particular recipe smells so fantastic and taste so good that the end
result lasts less than two days in my house. If I make it in the afternoon,
it's eaten after dinner, the next morning for breakfast, and then as an afternoon
snack. My daughter is this treat's biggest fan, so I decided to turn it into
a master mix, making things easier on the cook who has to make it so often!
Below you will find the original recipe for Applesauce Loaf, the master mix
I created for those of us who appreciate such time savers, and an added bonus
recipe for Cinnamon Butter that those with a sweet tooth will adore (the
slice pictured here is smothered in Cinnamon Butter).
Applesauce Loaf
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup applesauce
1/2 cup nuts (optional, chopped pecans work great)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour (not cooking spray) a loaf
pan. In a large bowl with spoon, cream together the shortening and sugar.
Add the eggs and mix well. Sift together dry ingredients and gradually add
to creamed mixture. Stir until well mixed and add applesauce and nuts. Bake
50-60 minutes, top will crest and loaf will be dark golden brown.
Variation: To make a tasty "flat cake", reduce the amount of flour
to 3/4 and make as directed. Delicious and moist, just flat!
In a very large bowl combine all dry ingredients and mix together well with
a fork or whisk. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender, or use two butter
knives, scissor style. A wire whisk also works well and is easier on the
arm muscles than knives are. When shortening is completely cut in, mixture
will have a crumbly texture. Be sure to turn the mixture so that entire batch
is mixed completely. Store in a tightly covered container for up to 4 months.
Makes enough for 4 loaves, approximately 13 1/2 cups. Feel free to double
this recipe if your family enjoys it as much as mine, but you will need two
large mixing bowls.
To Prepare
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour (not cooking spray) a loaf
pan. In a large bowl with spoon, mix together 3 1/3 cups of master mix with
2 eggs and 1 cup applesauce. Mix together thoroughly. Add 1/2 cup nuts if
desired and mix thoroughly. Pour into loaf pan and bake for 40-50 minutes,
or until top crests and loaf is a dark golden brown.
For muffins: Grease and flour muffin tins, or line with paper muffin
cups. Fill tins 3/4 full and bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes or until light
golden brown.
As a Gift
This mix makes a wonderful gift. Use an ordinary jelly jar, washed and dried,
a dried apple, two short cinnamon sticks, some raffia, and a bit of twisted
paper to decorate the lid. Untwist the twisted paper and hot glue to the
lid, trim excess. Glue cinnamon sticks together, crossing each other slightly,
and tie with a bit of raffia. Glue sticks to the apple and glue the apple
to the lid.
Using a print program such as Print Artist or Print Shop Deluxe, create a
fun label for your gift jar with instructions for the master mix. Put 1/2
cup of chopped pecans in a sandwich bag and tie with raffia. Print out the
Applesauce Loaf recipe or the master mix recipe on an index card and attach
a small raffia bow to the upper left hand corner.
These make wonderful gifts for neighbors, family and friends. The gift jar
you see pictured here was for my neighbor who was kind enough to loan me
her loaf pans until I could buy a new one!
Lastly, here is the sweet butter I promised. I absolutely adore this butter,
but it may be too sweet for some. If you enjoy rich sweetness as I do, this
is for you! This is also marvelous on white toast.
Cinnamon Butter
2 sticks butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator.
Spread over warm or cooled slice of Applesauce Loaf.
About the Author:
Amanda Formaro is the entrepreneurial
mother of four children. She
is also the owner of FamilyCorner.com Magazine. Subscribe to her free weekly newsletter by clicking on "sign up" below.
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The marvelous smell of cinnamon baking
in the oven is like no other. It's spicy-sweet aroma wafts through your kitchen
and through the rest of your house causing family members to come and ask
"Whatcha makin'?" Makes me smile just thinking about it. 
As a Gift
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