Caramel Apple Tea Bread

I needed to use up some apples, so I decided to tweak a Pumpkin Tea Bread recipe I've had for a while.

For a glaze, I decided to add some caramel dip to the powdered sugar and milk and see how that worked. Mmm. That's all I'm sayin'.

Of course you can eat this moist, apple-rich loaf plain if you like, but when there's caramel around, why would you?

Caramel Apple Tea Bread

2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/3 cup chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts or hazelnuts)
1 cup finely diced apple (about three small apples, chopped in pieces and whirled in food processor)
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Glaze:

1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons prepared caramel dip
2-3 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside. In large bowl, add flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, spices and nuts and stir. In smaller bowl, combine apple, eggs, oil, milk and vanilla. Make a well in center of flour mixture, add apple mixture and stir just until combined. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for about 1 hour or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Place pan on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes and then remove loaf from pan to finish cooling. If desired, top with glaze.

Glaze: In small bowl, add confectioners' sugar, caramel dip and enough milk to combine well using a small wire whisk. Drizzle over bread as desired.