If you’re looking for the best apple bread recipe for fall baking, this quick bread recipe is a must-try. It’s made with sweet apples and a blend of warm spices. It’s great for first time bakers and is a little different than your traditional banana bread.
This apple bread is simple and fun to make. It uses fresh apples for an extra moist crumb and you’ll love how the cinnamon swirl adds extra flavour throughout. Enjoy it for breakfast, brunch, or as an afternoon snack. It pairs wonderfully with a cup of coffee, tea, or even a glass of milk.
Ingredients
This cinnamon swirl apple bread has simple ingredients that use Granny Smith apples for a super moist loaf. The cinnamon sugar swirls enhance the apple bread and gives it an almost apple fritter flavour once drizzled with a glaze. You can find all your dry ingredients at your local Bulk Barn store where I shop on a regular basis. They have a great re-useable jar program on Sundays where you save 15%!
- Granny Smith apple
- Brown sugar & granulated sugar
- Unsalted butter
- Sour cream
- Eggs
- All-purpose flour
- Icing sugar
- Milk
- Hot water
- Pure vanilla extract
- Ground cinnamon & ground nutmeg
- Baking powder & baking soda
- Salt
Tips For the Best Cinnamon Swirl Apple Bread
- Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature. This will ensure even mixing and avoid overmixing which causes a dense apple cinnamon loaf.
- Make sure you use cooking apples or you’ll end up with a mushy apple bread. Granny Smith apples are my favourite and I believe the best apples for this recipe, but you can also use Gala apples, Northern Spy, or Cortland apples.
- Try to cut all your apple pieces into the same size. This will help with even baking and avoiding pockets of overbaked apples.
- When creating the cinnamon swirl layer, be generous with the amount of cinnamon sugar mixture. This will create that distinct and flavourful swirl in the loaf.
Looking for More Apple Recipes?
- Apple Cake
- Simple Apple Strudel
- Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake
- Apple Cinnamon French Toast Casserole
- Apple Cinnamon Waffles
- Individual Apple Galettes
How To Make An Apple Fritter Loaf
Step One: In a small bowl combine brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix to combine and set aside.
Step Two: Make your batter in a large or medium bowl. Add the wet ingredients with the white sugar and mix until smooth and combined. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. Mix to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and mix until just combined. Peel, core and chop apple into 1/2 inch cubes. Add all but a handful of the chopped apples and using a rubber spatula fold into the batter.
Step Three: Pour half the batter into a loaf pan and smooth out into a single layer. Next add half of the cinnamon sugar filling and smooth out. Using a flat butter knife cut swirls through the batter.
Step Four: Top with the remaining batter and smooth out again. Add the handful of reserved apples and top with the rest of the cinnamon sugar mixture. Again use the butter knife to cut swirls through the batter.
Step Five: Bake the apple bread in a preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack then spoon or drizzle the glaze over the top of the loaf.
Cinnamon Swirl Apple Bread
This cinnamon swirl apple bread is an easy and quick treat to whip up. It’s super moist, filled with pockets of apples and swirls of cinnamon and sugar. Then it’s topped with a simple glaze that reminds you of apple fritters (but a healthier version).Â
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 1 loaf 1x
- Category: Loaves and Quick Breads
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Canadian
Ingredients
Filling/Topping
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- a pinch of ground nutmeg (optional)
Cake
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons milk, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 Granny Smith apple
Glaze
- 1/3 cup icing sugar, sifted
- 1–2 teaspoons hot water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ËšF. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Make your filling/topping. In a small bowl combine brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix to combine and set aside.
- Make your cake. In a large bowl combine sugar, melted butter, sour cream, eggs, milk and vanilla extract. Mix by hand (or use an electric mixer ) until ingredients are combined and smooth. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and mix until just combined (don’t overmix the batter).
- Peel, core and chop apple into 1/2 inch cubes.
- Add all but a handful of the chopped apples and fold into the batter.
- Pour half the batter into your prepared loaf pan and smooth out into a single layer.
- Next add half of the cinnamon sugar filling and smooth out. Using a flat butter knife cut swirls through the batter.
- Top with the remaining batter and smooth out again into a single layer. Add the handful of reserved apples and top with the rest of the cinnamon sugar mixture. Again use the butter knife to cut swirls through the batter.
- Bake in the oven for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Let cool on a wire rack for 10-20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make your glaze. Add sifted icing sugar to a bowl. Whisk in hot water until you reach the desired consistency. Spoon or drizzle the glaze over the top of the loaf. Let the glaze set for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Store leftover apple bread in an airtight container or tin for up to two days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice of 12
- Calories: 238
- Sugar: 19.7g
- Sodium: 177mg
- Fat: 10.8g
- Saturated Fat: 6.4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 33.2g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3.2g
- Cholesterol: 56mg
FAQ’s
Baking apples are the best to use for any kind of baking or else you’ll end up with applesauce. Tart apples like Granny Smith, Jonathans or Jonagold apples add a nice flavour.
Yes, pears or peaches would be a great substitution for the apples in this bread recipe.
This apple loaf is best enjoyed the same day it’s baked. If you’d like to make the loaf in advance, bake the loaf and leave it unglazed. Make sure to let the loaf cool completely, then wrap in plastic and place in a freezer bag and freeze for up to one month. Let the loaf come to room temperature and reheat at 350ËšF for approx. 8-10 minutes or until warm. Add fresh glaze while warm.
This blog post has been sponsored by Bulk Barn Canada where you can find all your baking needs! All opinions are my own and I’m so happy to work with brands I love so I can continue to share these recipes with all of you! I hope you guys get to a Bulk Barn soon and try out this recipe.
Leave a Rating and Comment!
I love hearing from you! Leave a comment with any questions or how your recipe turned out (your email address will not be published)!