Cinnamon Apple Bread with Brown Sugar Swirl and Cinnamon Glaze
By Noah Bennett
Prep
15 min
Cook
50 min
Total
65 min
Servings
10
Level
Easy
Choose a firm baking apple such as Braeburn, Jonagold, Honey Crisp, or Granny Smith; peeled and cut into small pieces, it stays distinct in this cinnamon apple bread. The loaf pairs juicy tart apple pockets with a tender, moist crumb, a crisp brown-sugar top, and cinnamon glaze.
All-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, softened unsalted butter, sugar, vanilla, eggs, and milk make the simple batter. Brown sugar and ground cinnamon coat the chopped apple pieces, creating the swirl through the loaf. A separate brown sugar and cinnamon topping adds a crisp surface, while confectioners’ sugar, cinnamon, and water form the finishing glaze after baking.
Beat the butter, sugar, and vanilla until smooth and pale, then mix the flour and milk in on low speed so the crumb stays light. Keep the first apple layer thick rather than aggressively swirling it into the batter. The loaf is ready when a tester comes out clean with only a few moist crumbs from the soft apples; overmixing can make quick bread dense.
Cool the loaf in its pan for 15 to 20 minutes before moving it to a rack and drizzling on the glaze. Let it cool completely before slicing. Covered apple bread keeps at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, and the finished loaf can also be frozen after cooling and wrapping.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Firm, crisp apples such as Braeburn or Granny Smith keep their shape in the loaf, giving the tender crumb distinct juicy pieces instead of disappearing.
- Brown sugar appears in both the apple swirl and topping, so one pantry ingredient supplies caramel notes through the center and a crisp surface.
- Small- to medium-diced peeled apple distributes evenly through each slice, which makes the fruit noticeable without creating oversized wet pockets in the batter.
- Unsalted butter lets the measured salt stay controlled, while softened butter beats smoothly with sugar for the pale base described in the recipe.
- A single large apple yields the stated fruit layer, making this a practical way to feature seasonal apples without requiring a large batch of produce.
- The cinnamon glaze uses confectioners’ sugar, cinnamon, and water, adding a thin sweet finish that highlights the spiced apple and brown-sugar layers.
Ingredients
- •1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- •1.5 teaspoons baking powder
- •0.5 teaspoon salt
- •0.5 cup unsalted butter (softened (1 stick))
- •0.5 cup granulated sugar
- •2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- •2 large eggs
- •0.5 cup milk
- •0.5 cup light brown sugar (packed, for apple mixture)
- •1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon (for apple mixture)
- •1 large apple (peeled, cored, and chopped into small pieces)
- •2 tablespoons brown sugar (for topping)
- •0.25 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for topping)
- •0.75 cups confectioners’ sugar (for glaze)
- •0.25 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for glaze)
- •2 tablespoons water (for glaze)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and flour an 8.5 x 4.5-inch loaf pan.
- 2
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- 3
Using an electric handheld or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar, and vanilla on medium-high speed until smooth and pale, about 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- 4
Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated.
- 5
With the mixer on low speed, add about half of the flour mixture, alternating with half of the milk. Add the remaining flour mixture and milk and mix to combine.
- 6
In a mixing bowl, combine the light brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and chopped apple. Set aside.
- 7
In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon for the topping. Set aside.
- 8
Pour half of the batter into the prepared loaf pan and top with half of the apple mixture. Lightly swirl through the batter with a knife or skewer.
- 9
Pour the remaining batter on top, then add the remaining apple mixture. Swirl through the batter a couple of times in both directions with a knife or skewer, then sprinkle the cinnamon sugar topping over the loaf.
- 10
Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with only a few moist crumbs from the soft apples.
- 11
Remove the bread from the oven and cool it in the pan for 15 to 20 minutes. While it cools, whisk together the glaze ingredients.
- 12
Remove the bread from the pan and place it on a cooling rack. Drizzle with the glaze, cool completely, and then slice.
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