This apple cinnamon swirl loaf is your go-to fall bake, blending fresh apples with a cinnamon-spiced batter for a taste and texture that’s pure autumn. It’s the perfect combination of an easy quick bread and a lightly sweet cake, making it a versatile and delicious choice.
Whether you’re baking for yourself or giving it as a gift, this loaf is sure to be loved. Let me show you how to make it, step by step.
If you are in an apple mood, let me share a few other bakes I bet you will enjoy. My apple blueberry crumble is probably one of my favorite recipes on the blog to bake in the fall. It is so easy and such a crowd-pleaser. I also love making dehydrated apples at home as well. Or if you are looking for a salad recipe that uses apples, you need to try my crunchy cabbage and apple salad. It is big on flavor, fresh, and simple to make.
Ingredients
- Apples- my favorite apples to use for most baking are Honeycrisp. Pink lady is a close second followed by Granny Smith. I will add more suggestions below and which apples I would avoid.
- Cinnamon- This is used on the apples and in the batter.
- Sugar- I use both granulated and brown sugar, but if you want you can choose one or the other.
- All-purpose flour- If you have followed me for any amount of time, you know I also love using whole wheat flour. The AP flour can easily be subbed out for whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat flour.
- Baking powder and baking soda- I love the combination of both for the perfect leavening.
- Spices- Cinnamon (noted above), ground nutmeg, and ground ginger create the essential fall spices for the recipe.
- Salt- kosher salt is always my go-to.
- Butter- be sure the butter is softened first.
- Eggs- large eggs.
- Sour cream- or plain Greek yogurt.
- Vanilla
- Milk- This can be regular milk or plant-based.
How to make
Start by peeling and coring the apples and cutting them into cubes. Mix them together with the granulated sugar and cinnamon. Set them aside.
In another small bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger. Set this aside as well.
In a medium-size bowl cream together the softened butter and brown sugar for 1-2 minutes until it is light in color and creamy. Add in the eggs and vanilla and this time only mix to combine.
Add in the dry ingredients. Mix this in, but only mixing to combine. Do not overdo it or the bread will be tough. Last in is the milk with the same process- do not overmix.
Pour half the batter into a parchment-lined 8x4 loaf pan. It will be thick, so spread it gently with a spoon or spatula. Top this with a little over half the apple mixture. Press the apples into the batter and swirl slightly.
Repeat with the remaining batter then apple mixture to finish the loaf. Move it to the preheated over and bake for 60-75 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean.
Let it cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then carefully lift it out with the parchment paper. Place on a cooling rack and let it cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting into it.
Storage options
If your bread happens to make it longer than a couple hours (it doesn’t in my house), it is time to think about storage options. If you will be eating it the following day, simply wrap it tightly in saran wrap and leave it at room temperature.
If there are not plans to eat it within 24 hours, let it cool and wrap it in saran wrap. You can place it in the fridge and it will hold for up to 3 days, or you can move it to the freezer (I recommend using a freezer Ziplock bag instead. It will hold in the freezer for up to 1 month. Let it thaw and microwave each slice to warm again.
Apple varieties for baking
- Honeycrisp:
- Characteristics: Sweet-tart, crisp
- Why Use It: Retains its structure and offers a great balance of sweetness and acidity, making it a versatile choice for baking.
- Pink Lady (Cripps Pink):
- Characteristics: Sweet-tart, firm
- Why Use It: Holds its shape well in the oven and adds a nice, subtle sweetness to baked goods.
- Granny Smith:
- Characteristics: Tart, firm
- Why Use It: Known for its tartness and firm texture, it’s ideal for balancing the sweetness in desserts while maintaining a sturdy structure.
- Braeburn:
- Characteristics: Sweet-tart, firm
- Why Use It: Maintains its shape during baking and has a complex, spicy-sweet flavor.
- Jonagold:
- Characteristics: Sweet-tart, juicy
- Why Use It: Offers a balanced flavor and holds up well under heat, making it perfect for baking.
- Fuji:
- Characteristics: Sweet, crisp
- Why Use It: Though on the sweeter side, it’s firm enough to retain its shape in pies and tarts.
Apple Cinnamon Swirl Loaf
Equipment
- 1 8x4 loaf pan
Ingredients
Apple cinnamon sugar mixture
- 2 cups apples- peeled and cubed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
Quick bread batter
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup softened butter
- ⅔ cup brown sugar I love to use a dark brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x4 pan with parchment paper and set it aside.
- Peel and core the apples, then cut them into cubes. Mix them with the granulated sugar and cinnamon. Set them aside.
- In another small bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger. Set this aside as well.
- In a medium-size bowl cream together the softened butter and brown sugar for 1-2 minutes until it is light in color and creamy. Add in the eggs and vanilla and this time only mix to combine.
- To this add the dry ingredients. Mix this in, but only mix to combine. Do not overdo it or the bread will be tough. Last is the milk, mix to combine.
- Pour half the batter into a parchment-lined 8x4 loaf pan. It will be thick, so spread it gently with a spoon or spatula. Top this with a little over half the apple mixture. Press the apples into the batter and swirl slightly.
- Repeat with the remaining batter then apple mixture to finish the loaf. Move it to the preheated over and bake for 60-75 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean.
- Let it cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then carefully lift it out with the parchment paper. Place on a cooling rack and let it cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting into it.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!