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Apple Cinnamon Bread

Apple cinnamon bread made with a tender crumb and an easy cinnamon-sugar swirl. Loaded with finely diced apples for juicy bites and a golden top that glistens as it bakes.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Apple Cinnamon Bread
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp nutmeg
  • 2 eggs
  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 0.5 cup vegetable oil
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cup apples, peeled and finely diced
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Preheat and prep
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a 9x5 loaf pan. Set it aside so the pan is ready when the batter is mixed.
Mix dry ingredients
  1. Whisk all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl. Whisk until the spices are evenly distributed with no visible clumps.
Mix wet ingredients and combine
  1. Whisk eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vegetable oil, sour cream, and vanilla extract until smooth. Fold in the flour mixture until just combined to keep the loaf tender.
Add apples
  1. Fold in diced apples so they’re evenly dispersed throughout the batter. The mixture should look thick and speckled with apple pieces.
Layer batter and cinnamon swirl
  1. Pour half the batter into the loaf pan. Mix the cinnamon swirl (sugar plus cinnamon) and sprinkle half over the batter for visible cinnamon pockets.
Finish loaf and swirl
  1. Add the remaining batter on top, then sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar. Swirl with a knife to create marbled streaks without fully mixing through.
Bake and cool
  1. Bake for 55-65 minutes at 350F until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the loaf cool 15 minutes before slicing so the crumb sets and slices cleanly.

Notes

Pro tip: Finely diced apples help distribute moisture evenly, so the loaf stays tender instead of pooling liquid. Store covered at room temperature up to 3 days or refrigerate up to 5 days; freeze slices up to 3 months. For a lighter option, swap sour cream with plain Greek yogurt (same amount) for similar moisture with a tangier flavor.