Apple Streusel Bread

This may be my favorite fall bake of all time! Whether you call it 'bread' or 'cake' is entirely up to you, but if you love the scent of freshly baked apples and cinnamon wafting throughout your house, then you'll love this delicious treat. I was first introduced to this recipe many years ago, when I worked as a nanny for a lovely family during my college days. While I've tweaked the original recipe some to 'bake it my own', it's been a favorite in my family ever since, and I hope you and your family enjoy it as well. The apple cider glaze drizzled on top after it's come out of the oven gives it that little some extra!

While the recipe itself is very simple, you do want to choose the right apples. Select firm apples that will soften yet hold their shape during baking- this isn't an applesauce cake! Whether I'm making my All-American Apple Pie or this delicious apple bread, I always prefer using a mix of apples. Honeycrisp are my go-to, crisp and sweet, and a Granny Smith, adding the perfect balance of tartness. While fine to eat out of hand, varieties such as Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Gala and McIntosh should be avoided for baking, as they will inevitably break down and turn to mush (aka not yummy!).

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INGREDIENTS:

Bread

• 8 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter, at Room Temperature
• 1 C. Granulated White Sugar
• 2 Large Eggs, at Room Temperature
• 2 C. All Purpose Flour (plus a little extra, for dusting the bottom and sides of the loaf pan)
• 2 Tbsp. Sour Cream
• ½ tsp. Kosher Salt
• 1 tsp. Baking Soda
• 2 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract
• 3 Medium Firm Apples Such as Honeycrisp and Granny Smith
• 1 tsp. Lemon Juice (tossed with the apples to keep them from browning)

Streusel Topping

• 2 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter, at Room Temperature
• 2 Tbsp. Granulated White Sugar
• 2 Tbsp. All Purpose Flour
• 1 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
• 2 Tbsp. Walnuts or Pecans, Finely Chopped

Apple Cider Glaze

• 1 C. Powdered Sugar
• ½ C. Apple Cider
• 1-2 Tbsp. Heavy Cream or Whole Milk
• ¼ tsp. Ground Cinnamon
• Pinch Kosher Salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 325℉.

Gather your bread and streusel ingredients, measuring your flour and sugar using the "Spoon and Sweep Method".

The 'spoon and sweep' method is the most accurate way to measure flour, aside from weighing it on a kitchen scale. Use your spoon to gently stir and fluff the flour in its container, then scoop the flour directly into the measuring cup, using the straight edge of the spoon to sweep away the excess flour once the cup is full.

Step 2: Prepare a 9x5" baking loaf pan by spraying lightly with cooking spray (or use butter) and line using parchment paper that extends slightly over the side of the pan. Dust lightly with flour and gently tap out the excess. This will ensure that your finished apple bread can easily be removed from the pan.

Step 3: In the bowl of your stand mixer (or a large bowl, if using a handheld mixer), cream the butter and sugar for the bread ingredients. Once the mixture is pale yellow in color, about 2 minutes, add in the eggs, one at a time and mix until the batter is no longer glossy.

Step 4: In a small bowl, stir the baking soda into the sour cream to dissolve, then set aside. Incorporate the flour and salt until well blended, then add the sour cream and vanilla extract into the batter, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. The batter will be pale and creamy.

Step 5: Prepare the streusel topping by blending together the butter, sugar, flour, cinnamon and nuts. The mixture will have a texture similar to wet sand.

Step 6: Peel and quarter the apples, cutting out the core, and then dice into small pieces. Toss lightly with a sprinkle of lemon juice, if needed, to prevent the apples from oxidizing (browning).

Step 7: Using a rubber spatula, fold the diced apples into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.

Step 8: Crumble the topping evenly over the surface of the batter and bake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour, but up to about 70 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center of the bread should come out clean. If using a thermometer, the internal temperature should be between 190-200℉.

Allow the bread to cool slightly before removing it from the loaf pan.

Step 9: While the bread is cooling, preparing the glaze. Reduce the apple cider in a small pan over medium-high heat by half, about 7-8 minutes. This will help to concentrate the apple flavor.

Step 10: Add the powdered sugar, salt, cinnamon and heavy cream to the bowl of a stand mixer, then drizzle in the warm, reduced cider. Mix at high speed until all of the ingredients are combined. If you'd prefer a thinner glaze, add in a little more cream.

Step 11: Drizzle the cider glaze over the top of the cooled bread. Slice and serve.

Store bread in an air-tight container fitted with a lid.

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