Apple Cinnamon Bread Recipe
A moist, easy apple cinnamon bread recipe with tender apple chunks and a swirl of cinnamon sugar running through every slice.
Equipment
- 9x5 loaf pan
- Mixing bowls
- whisk
- Spatula
Ingredients
Bread Batter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk
- 1½ cups peeled and diced apples Granny Smith or Honeycrisp
Cinnamon Swirl
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1½ tbsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
Make the Batter
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside. In a separate large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, then mix in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and milk into the butter mixture, starting and ending with the dry ingredients, mixing just until combined and no streaks of flour remain.Gently fold in the diced apples, being careful not to overmix, since overworking the batter at this stage can make the finished loaf dense rather than tender.
Layer the Cinnamon Swirl
- In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon for the swirl. Pour half of the batter into a greased and lined 9x5 loaf pan, spreading it into an even layer, then sprinkle about two-thirds of the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the top.Add the remaining batter on top, smoothing it gently with a spatula, then use a knife to swirl through the batter a few times to create ribbons of cinnamon sugar without fully mixing it into the batter. Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar over the top of the loaf.
Bake the Loaf
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached, and the top is deeply golden with a slightly crackled cinnamon-sugar crust. If the top begins browning too quickly before the center is fully baked, loosely tent the loaf with foil for the remaining bake time.Let the bread cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely; slicing it too early can cause the loaf to fall apart since the crumb needs time to set.
Notes
- Dicing the apples into small, even pieces rather than large chunks helps them bake through fully without leaving raw pockets in the loaf.
- Store the cooled bread wrapped tightly at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week.