Description
Homemade apple cinnamon pecan bread delivers classic fall comfort with rich, warm spices and tender fruit chunks. Nutty pecans and sweet apple pieces create a delightful quick bread perfect for morning enjoyment or afternoon tea.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups (480 ml) finely chopped peeled apples
- 1 cup (240 ml) chopped toasted pecans
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 ¾ cups (420 ml) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (150 g) sugar
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 ½ tsps cinnamon
- 2 tbsps applesauce
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp sugar (for sprinkling the top)
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Warm the oven to 350°F and generously grease a loaf pan to ensure easy release.
- Blend Dry Ingredients: Whisk flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and baking powder in a mixing bowl until thoroughly combined.
- Mix Wet Components: In a large bowl, blend eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, applesauce, and vanilla extract until smooth and homogeneous.
- Combine Mixtures: Gently fold dry ingredients into wet mixture, stirring minimally to maintain a tender crumb, being careful not to overmix.
- Incorporate Fruits and Nuts: Fold chopped apples and half the pecans into the batter, distributing evenly to ensure consistent flavor in each slice.
- Prepare Topping: Create a crunchy garnish by mixing remaining pecans with sugar and ground cinnamon, sprinkling evenly across the batter’s surface.
- Bake and Verify: Place the loaf in the preheated oven and bake for 55-60 minutes, checking for a golden-brown exterior and inserting a toothpick to confirm doneness.
- Cool and Serve: Rest the bread in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing, preserving its delicate texture and moisture.
Notes
- Pecan Placement Strategy: Reserve half the pecans for the batter and half for the crunchy topping to ensure balanced nut distribution and textural contrast.
- Minimal Mixing Technique: Stir wet and dry ingredients just until combined to prevent tough, dense bread and maintain a tender crumb.
- Moisture Management: Use applesauce as a secret ingredient to keep the bread incredibly moist without adding extra fat.
- Doneness Detection: Rely on the toothpick test and golden-brown color as reliable indicators of perfect baking, inserting a toothpick into the center and checking for clean removal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 55-60 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg