Vegan Cinnamon Applesauce Quick Bread (Gluten-Free)
Learn how to make the easiest Vegan Gluten-free Cinnamon Applesauce Quickbread! With just 8 ingredients, oil-free and low-fat, this bread is full of cinnamon flavor and simple ingredients.
Servings: 10 slices
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons(300g) white rice flour (DO NOT use brown rice flour, it makes it dry and crumbly, see NOTE)
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (60g) potato starch (NO OTHER starches work here, sorry. This helps to make the bread fluffy. SEE NOTE)
- 1 tablespoon double acting baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3/4 lightly packed cup (115g) either homemade brown sugar from this post or store-bought light brown sugar, not dark, do not just use plain coconut sugar, as the recipe needs the molasses/moisture)
- 1 1/2 cups (360g) unsweetened applesauce
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (90g) aquafaba (the liquid from a drained can of chickpeas, this is the "egg" and CANNOT be subbed)
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (96g) really smooth/runny almond butter
CINNAMON SUGAR
- 4 tablespoons (45g) brown sugar mixture or storebought light brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
NOTE
- I always recommend to use a scale for accuracy when baking, following MY gram weights listed, since we all measure differently. This greatly improves your chance for success and lessons room for error. You never need cups or to compare them to the weights, just use the scale and bowl and make sure to zero out in between each ingredient. My recipes are 100% tested specifically using my exact weights and your results will turn out as best this way.
- I use this scale.
Instructions
- This bread's texture is best after it has cooked and cooled for quite some time. So, it's best to make it a few hours or even the day before you want to eat it.
- Preheat an oven to 350°F (177°C) and lightly spray a 9X5 loaf ceramic or glass dish with oil. You can use parchment paper if you like, I just prefer my loaves to have a more firm edge, which comes from baking directly in the pan.
- To a very large bowl (makes a lot of batter), add the rice flour, starch, baking powder, cinnamon and salt to a large bowl and whisk well until combined.
- For the brown sugar, if not using a scale, the best way to measure it is to scoop it with your 1/4 measuring cup straight from the bag, lightly pat it down and level off. To a separate bowl, add the 3/4 cup brown sugar, applesauce, aquafaba and almond butter to a separate bowl.
- Slowly add the wet to the dry and stir all the ingredients well until smooth and no longer lumpy,making sure to scrape the bottoms. It will be fairly thick, pudding-like, but it should still be spreadable with a spoon.
- Add half the batter to the prepared pan and spread it out evenly to the corners and flatten the top.
- Combine the cinnamon/sugar mixture into a small cup or bowl and mix with a fork. Sprinkle half of it on the first layer of batter in the pan. Add the remaining batter on top and smooth out again to the corners. Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon/sugar mixture on top. Lightly swirl it around just mixing it in a little bit within the batter, making a somewhat chunky topping, not over-mixing.
- Bake 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean in the center. I removed mine at 60 minutes exactly. You definitely don't want to remove until the toothpick is clean, if it has a few dry crumbs, that is ok, but as long as there is not wet batter. Let cool at least 30 minutes before removing from the pan, as it will still finish cooking! Flip it over and let cool COMPLETELY before slicing or it'll be slightly gummy. Fully cooling also makes it firm up perfectly. Keep the bread stored tightly in a container or plastic wrap so it doesn't dry out. I love to reheat them and toast them up and add some pecan butter on the top. Major yum.
- IMPORTANT: Let cool at least 30 minutes before removing from the pan, as it will still finish cooking! Flip it over onto a plate or cooling rack and let cool COMPLETELY before slicing or it'll be gummy. Fully cooling also makes it firm up perfectly and finish cooking inside. If you cut it too early, it will look gummy, so use patience. Keep the bread stored tightly in a container or plastic wrap so it doesn't dry out. I love to reheat them and toast them up and add some pecan butter on the top. Major yum.
Notes
I tested this bread multiple times to get the perfect texture, so I strongly advise against subbing with other gluten-free flours, it will yield COMPLETELY different results, as GF baking is very finicky. This recipe is meant to be a bread loaf texture, not muffins. For muffins, make these Cinnamon Streusel Muffins instead.