This cinnamon apple bread with a simple vanilla glaze is the perfect fall quick bread and a great way to use excess apples!
Fall baking is my favorite. The smells of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice…just give me all the spices! And then there’s the seasonal fruits and vegetables: apples, pumpkins, pears, blueberries…the list goes on.
With such an abundance of flavors, it’s no wonder that everyone wants to bake come September.
While pumpkin may the king of fall dessert ingredients, apple definitely comes in a close second. Sweet yet tart apples lend themselves naturally to sweet treats like my Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls, and I even love to use apple sauce to sweeten my pumpkin bread.
If you want to bake but don’t want it to be a whole drawn out process, then a sweet quick bread recipe is the way to go. The term quick bread can be used to describe a bread made without yeast, like my Irish Brown Bread, as well as a less-sweet cake made in a loaf pan, like this simple Tea Cake recipe.
I’ve been working on this Cinnamon Apple Bread for a few weeks, and after a few tweaks, it now falls firmly smack bang in between being a bread and a cake. It’s got a denser, chewier texture than a cake, but it’s definitely sweeter than a bread, without being overly so.
The top is crunchy, reminiscent of a loaf of bread, but it’s more like a muffin-top crunch. The apples inside are soft and tender, but add the perfect amount of sweetness and the whole loaf is filled with the perfect amount of cinnamon to add depth.
My kids have claimed yet again, that it’s my best recipe ever. But they say that about everything I bake so I’m not sure I can trust their opinions!
How to Make Apple Bread From Scratch
- Apple and cinnamon are the star of this recipe. I like to use Fuji or Gala apples, as they tend to be better suited to dishes like quick breads, muffins and pancakes. Dice the apples and leave the skins on if you’re in hurry! They soften up nicely when baked.
- Start off by combining the dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
- In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix the eggs, oil and vanilla. Slowly add the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Toss the diced apples in a tablespoon of flower, and fold into the mixture by hand.
- Bake at 350 F for 45 – 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- A simple vanilla glaze is what really sets this recipe apart from others out there. Simple combine the powdered sugar, butter, milk and vanilla and mix together. Pour it over the top of the apple bread and allow to set.
- By the way, this recipe makes one 8 x 4 loaf but double or triple it as needed. It’s important that it is baked in an 8 x 4 loaf pan so that it cooks in the middle. This recipe is enough to fill the pan half way. Do not fill any higher than that or the top will burn and the middle will be undercooked.
This cinnamon apple bread freezes well, too. Securely wrap cooled loaves in plastic and foil, then freeze. When you’re ready to eat it, just thaw at room temperature and glaze.
Enjoy!
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Cinnamon Apple Bread
Equipment
- Stand mixer or electric hand mixer
Ingredients
Cinnamon Apple Bread
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon flour (for coating the apples)
- ½ cup white sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups chopped, peeled apples (about 2 apples)
Vanilla Glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
To Make The Cinnamon Apple Bread
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8 x 4 loaf pan or line with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and baking powder.
- In another bowl, toss the apples with the 1 tablespoon of flour. This will stop them from sinking to the bottom of the bread.
- In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix together the eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla at high speed.
- Lower the speed and slowly add the flour mixture to the wet mixture, until just combined. The mixture will be thick.
- Gently fold in the apples.
- Transfer the mixture to the greased pan. Bake for 45 – 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. You may need to add foil to the top of the apple bread for the last 15 – 20 minutes so the top does not burn.
- Allow pan to cool for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to fully cool.
To Make The Vanilla Glaze
- Add all the ingredients to a bowl and whisk well. Pour over cooled apple bread loaf. Allow to set.
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