Description

This apple fritter bread delivers the craggy, glazed top and tender interior of a classic fritter without deep frying. Honeycrisp apples hold their shape during baking, providing bursts of tart-sweet fruit in every slice, while a crackly vanilla icing seeps into the warm cracks for a bakery-worthy finish.

Ingredients

Scale

1 ½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (preferably Saigon)
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (freshly grated if possible)
½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
⅔ cup (135g) granulated sugar
¼ cup (50g) light brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (pure)
½ cup (120ml) buttermilk, shaken before measuring
2 medium Honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar (for cinnamon sugar swirl)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for cinnamon sugar swirl)
1 cup (120g) powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy
2 to 3 tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with butter or nonstick spray, then line with parchment paper, leaving about 2 inches of overhang on the two long sides.
In a small bowl, stir together ¼ cup granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon for the swirl. Set aside.
Peel, core, and dice Honeycrisp apples into ½-inch cubes. Toss with 1 tablespoon of the flour mixture (from dry ingredients) to prevent sinking.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes with a hand mixer on medium speed). Scrape down sides halfway through.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
With mixer on low speed, add about one-third of the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Add half the buttermilk, mixing until incorporated. Repeat with another third of dry ingredients, remaining buttermilk, and final third of dry ingredients. Stop mixing as soon as flour disappears.
Using a spatula, gently fold floured apple cubes into batter until evenly distributed.
Spread half the batter into prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle half the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over batter. Drop spoonfuls of remaining batter on top, gently spread to cover cinnamon layer. Sprinkle remaining cinnamon-sugar on top.
Bake at 350°F for 50 to 60 minutes. Start checking at 50 minutes by inserting a toothpick into center (avoiding apple chunks) – it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If top browns too quickly after 40 minutes, loosely tent with foil.
Let bread cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Then lift out using parchment overhang and transfer directly to rack to cool completely before icing.
In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk or cream, and vanilla extract. Add remaining tablespoon of liquid for thinner consistency if desired. Drizzle generously over completely cooled bread. Let set for about 10 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Don’t skip flour coating on apples to prevent sinking. Room temperature ingredients are important for proper texture. Test doneness in multiple spots to avoid hitting apple chunks. Cool completely before icing to achieve crackly shell. Slice with a serrated knife. Bread tastes even better on the second day.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice
Calories: 310
Sugar: 30
Sodium: 210
Fat: 12
Saturated Fat: 7
Carbohydrates: 48
Fiber: 2
Protein: 4

Keywords: apple fritter bread, honeycrisp apple bread, apple bread, fall baking, apple dessert, vanilla icing, easy apple recipe