Here’s a recipe for a delicious Apple Cinnamon Swirl Loaf — perfect for breakfast or an afternoon treat! It’s soft, spiced with cinnamon, and has a sweet apple filling that swirls through the bread, making every bite delightful.

🍏 Apple Cinnamon Swirl Loaf

Ingredients (Makes 1 loaf)

For the Apple Filling:

• 2 medium apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp are great), peeled, cored, and diced
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Pinch of salt

For the Cinnamon Sugar Swirl:

• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon

For the Loaf:

• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg (optional)
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
• ½ cup sour cream (or plain yogurt)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup milk (whole or 2%)
• ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Instructions

1. Make the Apple Filling

1. In a small pan, melt 1 tbsp butter over medium heat.
2. Add the diced apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt.
3. Stir and cook for about 5-7 minutes until the apples soften and release their juices.
4. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly while you prepare the batter.

2. Prepare the Cinnamon Sugar Swirl

• In a small bowl, mix together the granulated sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

3. Make the Loaf Batter

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease or line a 9×5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg (if using).
3. In another bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs, melted butter, sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently fold until combined. Don’t overmix — a few lumps are fine.

4. Assemble the Loaf

1. Pour half of the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
2. Spoon half of the apple filling over the batter, then sprinkle with a generous amount of the cinnamon-sugar swirl mixture.
3. Add the remaining batter over the apple layer and gently smooth the top.
4. Spoon the remaining apples over the top, and finish with a swirl of the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

5. Swirl the Loaf

• Use a knife or toothpick to gently swirl the cinnamon-sugar mixture and apples into the batter, creating a marbled effect.

6. Bake

• Bake the loaf at 350°F (175°C) for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (a few moist crumbs are okay).
• If the top is browning too quickly, cover it with foil halfway through baking.

7. Cool & Serve

• Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Slice and enjoy! Serve it warm with a little butter, or drizzle with a simple glaze (powdered sugar + milk + vanilla) for extra sweetness.

✨ Tips for the Best Apple Cinnamon Swirl Loaf

• Apple variety: Firm, tart apples like Granny Smith work best because they hold their shape and contrast nicely with the sweet bread.
• Texture: For extra moisture, you can add ½ cup applesauce to the batter in place of some of the sour cream.
• Topping: You can sprinkle some coarse sugar on top before baking for a crunchy finish.

If you want to take it up a notch, you could try a cream cheese swirl in the middle or a caramel glaze over the top. Let me know if you’d like a recipe for that too! 🍏🍞