Start with the walnuts, if using, and place a ½ cup worth in a single layer in a pan set over medium heat. Toast, tossing occasionally, until you can smell a nutty aroma, about 5-7 minutes. Set aside to cool. If using walnut halves instead of pieces, give them a rough chop.

Peel, core, and dice 2 medium apples between a ¼” and ½”. Place the apples in a nonreactive mixing bowl and toss with ¼ cup brown sugar and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Set aside while making the bread. The sugar will help pull some of the moisture out of the apples and keep them from making the bread watery while baking.

Preheat your oven to 350°F / 180°C and prepare a loaf pan with a parchment sling or spray with nonstick baking spray right before adding the batter. You can use a 9x5 loaf pan or an 8.5x4.5 loaf pan. The 9x5 will make a short, wide bread while the 8x4 makes a taller, slightly narrower bread. Use your preference.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together 1 ¾ cups white whole wheat flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon backing soda, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg. Set it aside.

In a larger mixing bowl, add ½ cup white sugar, 2 tablespoons neutral oil, ¼ cup melted butter, ½ cup unsweetened applesauce, ½ cup milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Whisk together until the sugar is dissolved.

Add the eggs in, one at a time, until fully incorporated and no streaks of egg remain.

Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and whisk together until just combined. Do not overmix or the bread will come out dense.

Finally, add the apples and walnuts to the bread batter and gently fold until just combined. Pour into the prepared 9x5 loaf pan and bake for 60-75 minutes. Check the bread around the 30-minute mark and add a piece of tented foil over the pan if it seems to be getting dark to help prevent the top and sides from burning.

The bread should be done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. For the best results though, I recommend an instant read thermometer. Quick breads are typically done around the 190-200°F mark.

Remove from the oven and leave in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then slide the bread out of the pan and set it onto a cooling rack to finish cooling. Wait about 35-45 minutes before slicing.