Warm Cinnamon Sugar Apple Loaf (Soft Winter Slice)
A soft, moist cinnamon sugar apple loaf with a swirled cinnamon center and crackly sugared top, tested four times for a reliably tender crumb.
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 245kcal
Ingredients
For the batter:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled, or 260g)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cup Honeycrisp or Fuji apples, diced small
For the cinnamon sugar swirl:
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
- In a small bowl, stir together the granulated sugar and cinnamon for the swirl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, sour cream, and vanilla until smooth and glossy.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Fold into the wet mixture just until no dry streaks remain.
- Toss the diced apples with 1 tablespoon of the measured flour, then fold gently into the batter.
- Pour half the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle half the cinnamon sugar swirl mixture over the top. Add the remaining batter, then the remaining swirl mixture. Drag a butter knife through the top in a loose zigzag to marble.
- Bake for 55–65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- Dice the apples small (about ¼-inch) — large pieces are more likely to sink even with the flour coating.
- Weigh the flour if you can; 260g total gives the most consistent results across different measuring habits.
- Sour cream can be swapped 1:1 with plain full-fat Greek yogurt with no change in texture.
- Do not slice the loaf until it's fully cooled — the swirl layer needs time to set or it will smear.
- For a dark nonstick pan, lower the oven temperature to 335°F and check 5 minutes early.
- Store wrapped at room temperature for up to 4 days, or freeze whole or sliced for up to 3 months.