Indulge in the comforting delight of Praline Apple Bread, a perfect remedy for your sweet cravings during the fall season. This delectable bread features chunks of fresh apples intertwined with the warm, inviting scent of cinnamon and further topped with a heavenly Praline Sauce.
The recipe for Praline Apple Bread has remained a cherished favorite of mine for as long as I can recall. The reason being it tastes amazing, it is filled with warm apple chunks and the Praline Sauce elevates the bread further.
Quick breads are easy and fun to bake offering a delightful combination of bread-like and cake-like texture, at the same time. They do not require yeast and therefore take less time to bake as compared to traditional bread baking methods.
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This quick bread has a sweet, moist and a decadent crumb.
- The generous chunks of fresh apple and chopped pecans will remind you of the essence of the fall season just like my Apple Cinnamon Muffins.
- The Praline topping crowning this bread is simply sensational, imparting a wealth of flavor to this already delightful sweet treat.
- This bread will be a delightful addition to your breakfast spread, a tempting option for brunch, or a satisfying mid-afternoon indulgence just like my Brownie Bread, Banana Bread Without Baking Soda, 4 Ingredient Banana Bread or this all time favorite Peanut Butter Bread.
Apples for Baking
When it comes to baking, selecting apples that maintain their shape and flavor after baking is crucial. Granny Smith Apples are an excellent choice for this purpose, as they are both flavorful and firm, providing delightful crunchiness in every bite of bakes like this apple loaf. However, if Granny Smith apples are not available, here are some other options you can consider:
- Honeycrisp Apples: Known for their sweet and crisp texture, Honeycrisp apples add a delightful juiciness to baked goods.
- Fuji Apples: Fuji apples are sweet and firm, making them a great choice for baking as they hold their shape well and offer a pleasant texture.
- Pink Lady Apples: With a perfect balance of sweet and tart flavors, Pink Lady apples retain their firmness when baked, adding a refreshing taste to your baked treats.
- Braeburn Apples: Braeburn apples have a slightly tart flavor and firm texture, making them suitable for baking as they hold up well during the baking process.
What is Praline Sauce?
Praline sauce is a sweet treat that originated from the Southern States, typically featuring nuts, often pecans, coated in a sweet candy mixture. However, in this recipe, we've opted to create the sauce without nuts, offering a delicious alternative for those with nut allergies or preferences.
Ingredients
Ingredients for Apple Bread
Ingredients for Praline Sauce
- All-purpose flour provides base and structure to this bread.
- Buttermilk gives tanginess and moistness to this bread. Use fullfat buttermilk for perfect results.
- Apples are the hero of this recipe. Use peeled and finely chopped. I prefer Granny Smith apples but you may use any other variety. (See the note above).
- Pecans gives crunch to this apple loaf. Use high quality pecans.
- Cinnamon powder will add a great aroma to the bread.
- Brown sugar (light) for Praline Sauce.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Substitute sour cream or greek yogurt for buttermilk in this recipe.
- Make sure the apples are crispy to get crunch in every bite of this bread.
- Substitute cinnamon for apple pie spice in this bread.
- Use walnuts or any other nuts of your choice in place of pecans in this apple praline loaf.
- Dark brown sugar can be substituted for light brown sugar for the praline sauce.
This recipe hasn't undergone testing with alternative substitutions or variations. If you decide to replace or incorporate any ingredients, we'd appreciate hearing about your experience. Please share your feedback in the comments section below!
Baking Pro Tips
1. Unless a recipe says otherwise, always use room-temperature ingredients. This helps them mix together smoothly and evenly, for perfect results every time.
2. Ditch the measuring cups and grab your digital scale. Weighing dry ingredients in grams ensures perfect accuracy and consistent results.
How to Make Praline Apple Bread
1. Toast the pecans in a shallow saucepan. Let it rest for a while and then cut them into pieces.
2. Whisk the dry ingredients into a bowl.
3. Toss the apple pieces in all purpose flour.
4. Using an electric mixer beat the sugar and butter together in a bowl.
5. Add in the eggs, vanilla extract and buttermilk and beat again until combined.
6. In a large mixing bowl add in the flour mixture including all purpose flour, baking powder and salt into the wet ingredients. Beat until combined.
7. Add in the apple pieces and chopped pecans (half of them).
8. Fold them with a light hand into the quick bread batter.
9. Pour in the quick bread batter into the 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.
10. Sprinkle the rest of the pecans on the top of the batter. Press them lightly into the quick bread batter.
11. In a heavy saucepan melt the butter and add brown sugar to it.
12. Let it boil for about a minute until it thickens a bit. Take it off the stove.
Expert Tips
- Do not overbeat the batter as it will activate gluten strands in the flour and you will get a tough and dry bread.
- Cool the bread completely (about 30 minutes) before pouring over the praline sauce. Do not add the sauce to the warm bread as the praline sauce will melt away. I usually place the bread on a wire rack for about 20 minutes out of the oven before adding the praline sauce over it.
Recipe FAQs
That's a great observation! In this recipe, the absence of oil or butter in the bread batter is compensated for by using buttermilk. Buttermilk not only adds moisture but also contributes to the steam and tenderness during baking. Its acidic nature reacts with leavening agents like baking powder to provide a good rise and a fine crumb texture.
Peeling and cutting the apples into small pieces is a common practice for this recipe, but using pre-peeled apples is a convenient alternative. Just be sure to cut the pieces small to ensure that you still get that delightful apple crunch in every bite and that they are evenly distributed throughout the bread.
Absolutely, you can swap the regular quick bread pan for a smaller mini loaf pan to create individual-sized portions. Depending on the amount of batter you have, you may need 4 to 6 small pans. Keep in mind that the baking time will likely be shorter for the mini loaves compared to the regular-sized bread, so be sure to adjust accordingly and keep an eye on them as they bake.
Preparing your bread pans in advance is a smart practice before diving into baking preparations. For quick breads, I recommend spraying the pans with a quality baking spray and lining the bottom with parchment paper. This ensures easy removal of the bread once it's baked, simplifying the process and preventing any sticking issues.
It's true that oven behavior can vary, and understanding your specific oven's quirks is key to successful baking. To prevent excessive browning on the top of your bread, simply cover the pan with a piece of foil during baking. It will help regulate the heat and ensure that your bread bakes evenly without becoming too brown on top.
How to Store
Room Temperature
To maintain the freshness of this bread, store it in an airtight container at room temperature on the counter. It should stay fresh for up to 3 days when stored this way.
Refrigerator
Wrapping the bread in aluminum foil and storing it in the refrigerator is another option for extending its freshness. By doing so, you can keep the bread fresh for up to 5 days.
Freezing Instructions
To store this bread for longer periods, freezing is a great option. Here's how to do it:
- Wrap the bread tightly in plastic wrap to protect it from freezer burn.
- Then, wrap it in aluminum foil for additional insulation.
- Place the wrapped bread in an airtight container or a freezer-safe ziplock bag to further prevent freezer burn and maintain freshness.
- If you plan to freeze the bread, it's best not to apply the glaze beforehand, as it may affect the texture and taste upon thawing.
Stored properly in the freezer, the bread can remain fresh for up to 2 months.
Note: If you intend to freeze the bread, it's advisable not to apply the praline sauce beforehand. Simply freeze the bread without the sauce, as adding it prior to freezing may affect the texture and consistency of the bread upon thawing. Instead, you can apply the praline sauce after thawing and warming up the bread when you're ready to enjoy it.
Reheating Instructions
- To enjoy the bread after refrigerating it, simply take it out and let it sit on the counter for 1 to 2 hours to come to room temperature. Alternatively, you can warm individual slices in the microwave for a quick and convenient way to enjoy it.
- To thaw the bread after freezing, remove it from the freezer and place it in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, take the bread out and microwave it in 30-second intervals until it reaches your desired level of warmth. Once warmed, pour the glaze over the bread and enjoy the deliciousness.
Related Apple & Quick Bread Recipes
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Recipe
Praline Apple Bread
Equipment
- 1 9 x 5 inch loaf tin
Ingredients
Apple Bread:
- 2 cup all-purpose flour (260 grams)
- 1 cup buttermilk (245 ml)
- 1 cup castor sugar (220 grams)
- 1 ½ cups pecan (190 grams) chopped coarsely
- 2 eggs (large) at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (13 grams)
- 2 teaspoon baking powder (10 grams)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda (2.4 grams)
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder (1.4 grams)
- ¼ teaspoon salt (1.5 grams)
- 1 ½ cups apples (Granny Smith) (180 grams) peeled and finely chopped
Praline Sauce:
- ¼ cup butter (57 grams)
- ¼ cup light brown sugar (packed) (50 grams)
Instructions
Apple Bread:
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray the baking spray to a 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper in the bottom of the pan. Set aside.
- Bake½ cup pecans in a shallow tray/pan and place it in the oven for about 8 minutes until the pecans are toasted. Stir the pecans halfway through and change the side of the pan.
- In a large bowl beat the sour cream and then add sugar, eggs and vanilla extract.Mix it well at a low speed for about 2-3 minutes.
- In another bowl sift through the flour, salt, cinnamon powder, baking soda and baking powder. Whisk together.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined. Add ½ cup pecans and the apples and mix until combined. The batter will be lumpy.
- Transfer the batter to the loaf pan. Sprinkle the remaining pecans on the top and gently press the pecans into the batter.
- Bake it for 55 – 65 minutes. Check at 50 minutes and take out the bread when a tooth-pick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean with a few crumbs and not the liquid batter.
- Cool the loaf in the pan for 10 minutes and then move it to a wire rack.
Praline Sauce:
- Boil the butter and sugar together in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Keep stirring throughout and boil for about a minute. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool completely.
- Pour the praline sauce over the apple bread.
Notes
- Do not overbeat the batter as it will activate gluten strands in the flour and you will get a tough and dry bread.
- Cool the bread completely (about 30 minutes) before pouring over the praline sauce. Do not add the sauce to the warm bread as the praline sauce will melt away. I usually place the bread on a wire rack for about 20 minutes out of the oven before adding the praline sauce over it.