How to Make the Best Apple Cider Harvest Loaf
Happy Mabon & Autumnal Equinox friends!
As the wheel of the year turns, the Autumn Equinox brings us to Mabon—a season of balance, harvest, and gratitude. Falling around September 21–23, Mabon marks the moment when day and night stand in perfect equality before we tip into the darker half of the year. Often called the “second harvest,” this festival is a time to gather in the season’s abundance, reflect on what we’ve accomplished, and give thanks for both the blessings and lessons of the year.
From apples and pumpkins to spiced cider and warm loaves of bread, Mabon celebrations are steeped in the rich flavors of autumn. It’s a perfect moment to slow down, savor cozy comforts, and honor the cycles of nature as we prepare for the season ahead.
Ingredients
To celebrate, I’ve created the Apple Cider Harvest Loaf, a delicious snack cake using seasonal, local apples baked right into the loaf. Not only that, it uses orchard-fresh apple cider and applesauce which covers everything apple! Here’s what you need:
- Flour – All purpose flour is essential to the structure
- Baking Powder – Baking powder gives lift
- Cinnamon + Nutmeg + Clove – These essential warming spices really make the harvest loaf shine.
- Apple Cider – The highlight of the Apple Cider Harvest Loaf!
- Applesauce – Applesauce is that secret ingredient that makes the loaf cake extraordinarily moist and soft. It does double duty here and acts as an egg replacer to help bind the loaf cake together.
- Brown Sugar – Brown sugar adds a deeper, caramel-y sweetness
- Vegan Butter – Vegan Butter gives the loaf cake a distinct buttery flavor
- Vanilla Extract + Salt – Brings out the flavors
- Apple – Essential to the flavor and adds moisture to the loaf cake
Choosing the Best Cider for Apple Cider Harvest Loaf
When it comes to apple cider there can be a few things to consider before choosing one. Unspiced varieties offer a clean, true apple flavor. Spiced ciders have additional ingredients which cloud the freshness of orchard cider. Apple cider pairs beautifully with warm spices and they can be added to your bake later on. Pick one that lists apple cider as the only ingredient.
Often recipes call for an apple cider reduction, which you can absolutely do, although for this particular recipe the apple cider is essentially replacing a plant milk. I have spiced and flavored the cake accordingly and it is full of robust apple flavor — saving you the step of apple cider reduction!
How to Make Apple Cider Harvest Loaf
The Apple Cider Harvest Loaf is easy and simple to prepare. Prepare your space by preheating the oven to 350F and grease a 9×5 loaf pan. It’s good practice to have everything measured and ready to go.
Apple Cider Harvest Loaf
Ingredients
Harvest Loaf
- 300 g (2 c) All Purpose Flour
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 ½ tsp Cinnamon
- ½ tsp Nutmeg
- ¼ tsp Clove
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 124 g (½ c) Apple Cider
- 113 g (½ c) Applesauce
- 139 g (¾ c) Brown Sugar
- 113 g (½ c) Vegan Butter melted
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 medium Apple shredded
Glaze
- 120 g (1 c) Powdered Sugar
- 2 Tbs Pure Maple Syrup
- 1-2 Tbs Almond Milk
Instructions
- Prepare your space. Preheat the oven to 350℉. Grease a 9×5 loaf pan and set aside.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, spices and salt.
- Vegan butter + sugar. Combine melted vegan butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add in applesauce and vanilla.
- Combine + fold. Alternate adding in dry ingredients and apple cider in two additions each, until just combined. Fold in shredded apple. Don’t overmix.
- Bake. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 50-55 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan for 30 minutes, then transfer to a rack.
- Glaze with magic. Whisk together powdered sugar, maple syrup and almond milk until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled loaf.
I hope you decide to celebrate the autumnal equinox with this bake. It’s the perfect treat for your cozy fall weekend baking. If you enjoyed it, I’d love for you to rate it and leave a comment below. Follow me on instagram for a peek inside recent bakes, recipe testing and more. For more apple recipes like this try my Apple Coffeecake. Happy Baking!
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