Apple spice bread

I stumbled across this recipe in the New York Times Bread & Soup Cookbook by Yvonne Young Tarr at least a decade ago, and I've been making it ever since. It's definitely more cake than bread, and I always serve it as a dessert. The combination of apples and spices just screams "Fall is here!", and the arrival of apples at my local farmstand this week makes it irresistible.

2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup tart apples (Granny Smith, Macoun, or a mix -- approx. 3 large apples), grated
1/2 cup buttermilk (made from powdered buttermilk)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Sift together first 6 ingredients. Stir in whole wheat flour. Set aside. In a large bowl, or stand mixer, cream the shortening and sugar. Add vanilla and eggs, and stir to combine. Then, alternating a little bit at a time, add dry ingredients, buttermilk and apples to the egg mixture. Spray a bread pan with PAM and pour in the mixture. Bake for 1 hour. Let cool for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and let cool to desired serving temperature. Serve slightly warm with fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, or serve cold. (Can be frozen.)