Apple Bread with Cinnamon Swirl
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This delicious apple bread has a generous cinnamon swirl and a crisp, sugared top. It’s easy to make and the perfect cozy fall treat.
This cinnamon swirl apple bread will give you all the cozy fall feels. Packed with tart apples, it has a generous cinnamon swirl running through the center and a crisp, sugared top. Like other fall quick breads—pumpkin bread, cranberry orange bread, and banana bread—this apple bread recipe is easy to whip up and perfect any time of day.
My kids insist I ruin everything with nuts, so I’ve intentionally kept this recipe nut-free, but I think a handful of walnuts or pecans would be a delicious addition to the batter. Just be sure to let the bread cool completely before slicing—or even let it sit overnight. It stays moist for days! A special thanks to Caitlyn over at Erhardts Eat for the recipe inspiration!
“I made this recipe, and entered it in my local Apple Bake Contest in Pennsylvania that me and my sisters always enter and it won best of show!!! It’s so good! 🍁♥️”
What You’ll Need To Make Apple Bread With Cinnamon Swirl
- Light Brown Sugar: Adds a rich, caramel-like sweetness and depth to the cinnamon swirl. When measuring brown sugar, always pack it tightly to eliminate air pockets.
- Cinnamon: Provides a warm, aromatic spice that infuses the bread with classic cinnamon flavor.
- Eggs: Bind the ingredients together and contribute to the bread’s structure and moisture.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the bread and helps with browning.
- Butter: Adds richness and a tender crumb to the bread.
- Milk: Moistens the batter and helps achieve a soft, tender texture.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the flavor of the bread with its aromatic richness.
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides the foundational structure for the bread. To ensure accuracy, always measure flour by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off—it makes a difference!
- Baking Powder: Acts as a leavening agent, helping the bread rise and become fluffy.
- Tart Baking Apples: Contribute a tart contrast to the sweetness and add texture to the bread. Granny Smith apples are ideal.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
In a small bowl, stir the brown sugar and cinnamon until evenly combined. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or beaters, combine the eggs and granulated sugar.
Beat the eggs and sugar on medium speed until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes.
With the mixer on low, gradually add the melted butter followed by the milk and vanilla, and whisk just until evenly combined.
Add the flour, salt, and baking powder to the batter.
Mix on low speed until evenly combined.
Add the apples to the batter.
Fold with a rubber spatula until evenly incorporated.
Line the long side of the pan with a parchment paper “sling” and spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray again. Spoon about 2/3 of the batter into the prepared pan.
Sprinkle about 2/3 of the brown sugar-cinnamon mixture on top of the batter.
Spoon the remaining batter over top.
Sprinkle the batter with the remaining brown sugar-cinnamon mixture.
Using a butter knife, swirl the layers by making a zig-zag motion through the batter once in each direction (don’t overdo it!)
Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until the bread is golden brown and a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the bread cool on a rack for about 30 minutes.
Use the parchment sling to lift the bread out of the pan and onto the rack.
Let cool completely before slicing, a few hours or overnight. Store loosely covered with aluminum foil on the countertop.
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Apple Bread with Cinnamon Swirl
Ingredients
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- ½ cup milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup peeled cored, and finely diced tart baking apples, from 1 apple (preferably Granny Smith)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and set an oven rack in the middle position. Spray an 8½ x 4½-inch (22 x 11-cm) loaf pan lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Line the long side of the pan with a parchment paper “sling” and spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray again.
- In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon until evenly combined. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or beaters, beat the eggs and granulated sugar on medium speed until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes.
- With the mixer on low, gradually add the melted butter followed by the milk and vanilla, and mix just until evenly combined.
- Add the flour, salt, and baking powder to the batter and mix on low speed until evenly combined.
- Add the apples to the batter and fold with a rubber spatula until evenly incorporated.
- Spoon about ⅔ of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle about ⅔ of the brown sugar-cinnamon mixture on top of the batter. Spoon the remaining batter over top, followed by the remaining brown sugar-cinnamon mixture. Using a butter knife, swirl the layers by making a zig-zag motion through the batter once in each direction (don't overdo it!).
- Bake for about 50 minutes, until the bread is golden brown and a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the bread cool on a rack for about 30 minutes, then use the parchment sling to lift the bread out of the pan and onto the rack. Let cool completely before slicing, a few hours or overnight. Store loosely covered with aluminum foil on the countertop for up to 4 days.
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Comments
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I just made it this weekend. It was soo incredibly good! Not overly sweet either. I will make it again and again for sure. Another winner for Jen’s recipes.
Can I just grease and flower my pan instead of using parchment paper. I want to try this tomorrow (I love all your recipes as I’ve made quite a few) but I don’t have parchment paper on hand
Hi Eileen, I worry it may stick a bit, but it will probably be okay.
This recipe looks amazing. Can’t wait to try it! I have some frozen apples waiting to be used. Could I use those here or would they release too much water and render the loaf soggy? Thanks for your help.
Hi Alanna, I’ve only made this with fresh apples, but I suspect it would work with frozen apples as well. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
I made this scrumptious bread with frozen apples and it turned out wonderfully. I let the apples thaw and then gave them a squeeze to get most of the excess moisture out. Next time I’ll try it with frozen apples straight from the freezer, but hopefully this little trick will help others in the same predicament. I also used Bake My Day Gluten free flour, which meant that my Celiac son could enjoy it, too. It did fall apart a little, so next time I’ll add a smidge of xanthan gum to help with binding. Thanks for another amazing recipe, Jenn. I can always count on your recipes to be delectable.
Made this today, and it was incredible! I made the recipe into 4 mini-loaves and baked them for 35 minutes. My neighbour has a tree full of Delicious apples, so I grabbed a couple and used them in the recipe, still turned out great, although the Granny Smith would give it a bit more tartness. This recipe is a keeper for me!
Delicious!! I made this for a family function; now everyone thinks I can bake.
Hi Jenn! I’ve loved your recipes and can’t wait to try this one. Would it work to add 2 apples to the recipe, to have even more apple flavor and crunch?
Thanks much!
Hi Judy, So glad you like the recipes! 🙂
I wouldn’t recommend adding an extra apple to this as it will make the cake too moist.
Can I make this cake as muffins instead of loaf? If so, how? Thank you! 🙂
Hi Lynda, I think this could work as muffins. I’d bake them at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes. Please LMK how they turn out!
This was delicious! I didn’t have time to cook for the 55 minutes, so I put it in a 9×13 glass baking dish, and it cooked in 35 minutes. Took it to a work meeting and it disappeared.
This is a delicious apple bread recipe! Thank you.
Can this be frozen for a few weeks after baking?
Yep definitely. Enjoy!
My husband and I love this recipe, he wants me to make it at least every other week. I added some finely chopped pecans to the brown sugar and cinnamon.