1-First, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 10×5 inch loaf pan to get things started smoothly.

2-Then, prepare your streusel by mixing the brown sugar, cinnamon or apple pie spice, flour, pecans, and a pinch of salt before stirring in the melted butter until it forms clumps pop it in the fridge to chill.

3-Next, whisk together the dry ingredients for the bread: flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon or apple pie spice in a medium bowl.

4-In a larger bowl, combine the oil, brown sugar, applesauce, eggs, and vanilla until everything is well mixed.

5-Gradually add the dry mix to the wet ingredients, stirring just until combined to keep the texture light and fluffy. Gently fold in the grated apples to distribute them evenly without overmixing.

6-Pour the batter into your greased pan and sprinkle the streusel on top for that crunchy finish. Bake for 50-60 minutes, checking with a toothpick to ensure it comes out clean. Let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes before moving to a rack to cool completely, and if you like, whip up the optional icing to drizzle over it.