Apple fritter bread is a soft, moist and flavor packed apple quick bread with brown sugar cinnamon apples swirled throughout. The spiced apple fritter topping is also swirled on the apple bread giving you cozy, caramelized apple chunks in every bite. Make this Amish apple bread truly decadent by topping it with an easy vanilla bean glaze.
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Why Should You Make This Recipe
From my Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting to my Maple Apple Loaf Cake and Cardamom Pear Loaf Cake recipes, it’s easy to see my love for simple and cozy loaf cakes and breads. This cozy apple fritter bread recipe is no exception. It’s filled with the coziest scents, flavors and textures of the season. If you’re a fan of wonderfully moist and perfectly spiced apple bread, this recipe is for you.
- Layers of flavors and textures: From the soft, moist and fluffy sour cream cake, to the swirls of caramelized brown sugar cinnamon apple chunks and vanilla bean glaze, this apple fritter cake will delight all your senses.
- Wonderfully cozy and made for cooler weather. This wonderfully delicious apple cinnamon bread is not only beautiful, but also perfect for enjoying with a hot cup of coffee, tea or even warm up of apple cider on a cool autumn moring.
Ingredients
This easy apple fritter bread recipe requires only a handful of simple ingredients to make and you probably already have them in your pantry and fridge.
Apple Fritter Filling
Gather peeled and diced apples, light brown sugar, ground cinnamon and ground ginger or nutmeg
Apple Fritter Bread
Dry Ingredients: Gather all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Wet Ingredients: Gather unsalted butter, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, sour cream and milk.
Vanilla Bean Glaze
Gather all powdered sugar, vanilla bean paste and milk.
Substitutions
This country apple fritter bread is as easy to make as it is delicious. Here are my recommended substitutions if you need them.
- Apples: Any tart baking apple such as Granny Smith, Jonagold, Pink Lady, Honeycrisp or Fuji work beautifully in this easy apple crisp coffee cake.
- Ground Spices: Ground cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg are classic ingredients that pair beautifully with apples. Feel free to use any spice blend like chai, pumpkin or apple spice in place of these spices.
- All purpose flour: To make this pumpkin loaf gluten free, use a good 1-1 gluten free flour. I recommend using the one from Bob’s Red Mill. Measure based off weight (180 g) rather than measurable cups for the most accurate substitution.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: These both act as leaveners for the apple bread.
- Unsalted Butter: Feel free to use an equal amount of salted butter in place of the unsalted butter. Just make sure to omit the added salt. Vegan butter or plant based can also be used in place of regular unsalted butter.
- Brown Sugar and Granulated Sugar: This sour cream apple bread calls for light brown and granulated sugars, but maple sugar would also work well to make this refined sugar free.
- Eggs: This cinnamon apple bread has not been tested without eggs.
- Sour Cream: A thick and creamy greek yogurt works well in this apple crumb cake recipe.
- Milk: Feel free to use your preferred milk of choice.
- Vanilla Bean Glaze: This fritter bread is made truly decadent when topped vanilla bean glaze. However, this apple fritter bread is just as delicious when enjoyed plain or with a dusting of powdered sugar.
How To Make
Let me show you how to make apple fritter bread in a few easy steps.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (170 C). Line a 9 x 5 loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving a bit of overhang on two sides. Peel, core and dice apples into ½ inch chunks. Toss the apples in a bowl with light brown sugar, cinnamon and ginger or nutmeg until all the apples are fully coated.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together until well combined.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. This takes about 2-3 minutes on medium speed. On low, mix in the eggs, vanilla extract and sour cream until well combined.
- Alternating dry ingredients and milk, mix in ½ of the dry ingredients into the wet, followed by the milk and the remaining dry ingredients. Fold in 1 ½ cups of the brown sugar cinnamon apples until just combined. Reserve the remaining apples for topping just before baking.
- Evenly spread the cinnamon apple bread batter into the prepared pan. Top with the reserved apple fritter topping. Bake the fritter apple bread for 50 - 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cinnamon apple bread comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool the cake in the loaf pan for 15 minutes. Use the parchment sling to lift the bread out of the pan. Cool completely before topping with the vanilla bean glaze.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the powdered sugar with vanilla bean paste and milk to your desired consistency. Drizzle over the cooled apple fritter loaf, slice and enjoy!
How To Store, Freeze and Thaw
- To store leftover apple bread: Place slices of the apple fritter loaf in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Then transfer the apple sour cream bread to the fridge for an additional 2 - 3 days.
- To freeze the apple cinnamon bread bread: Individually wrap each slice in plastic wrap or wrap the entire amish apple loaf cake in plastic wrap. Place the apple bread in a freezer safe container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. I recommend topping the bread with glaze after freezing and thawing if you plan on making the bread and freezing to enjoy at a later time.
- To thaw the cinnamon apple bread: Remove your desired number of pieces to sit out at room temperature or in the fridge until fully thawed. Heat in the microwave for 15 - 20 seconds for that “fresh from the oven” taste.
M’s Expert Tips
- Choose the right apple for baking. Some apples can get really mushy and bland when used for baking. Any tart baking apple such as Granny Smith, Jonagold, Pink Lady, Honeycrisp or Fuji work beautifully in this easy apple fritter loaf cake.
- Bring cold ingredients to room temperature.This allows the ingredients to mix together more evenly which requires less mixing, resulting in moist and perfectly mixed brown sugar apple bread.
- Don’t overmix the apple bread batter. Always use the lowest speed on your electric mixer or mix in the dry ingredients by hand. Make sure to mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.
- Fully cool the fritter bread before slicing. This recipe for apple fritter bread has a lot of delicious components that need to cool or else the bread may fall apart. Give this farmhouse apple bread about 2 hours to cool before slicing and enjoying.
FAQs
Yes, bake this fritter bread in a circular 8 inch (20 cm ) or 9 inch (23 cm) pan for 30 - 35 minutes. You can also bake this bread recipe in a muffin tin for about 18 - 20 minutes.
Traditionally this term is applied to anything, sweet or savory that is fried in small clumps. For this apple fritter bread, the term “fritter” is more inspired by the term since the bread is baked.
Fried apple fritters are made from combining chunks of apples with flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, sugar, milk, butter, vanilla, and eggs. The mixture is then fried to golden brown, bite sized fritters. This recipe for apple fritter bread takes most of the same ingredients and re-imagines this treat as a baked quick bread recipe.
Other Apple Recipes To Try
If you try this Apple Fritter Bread recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! Happy Baking! -M
Apple Fritter Bread Recipe
Equipment
- 1 stand mixer with paddle attachment or electric hand mixer with beaters
- 1 apple peeler
- 1 knife
- 1 9 X 5 loaf pan
- 1 parchment paper
Ingredients
Apple Fritter Filling
- 2 cups peeled and diced apples about 3 medium apples
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger or nutmeg
Apple Fritter Bread
- 1½ cup (180 g) all purpose flour
- 1¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs (US), room temperature
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (60 g) sour cream, room temperature
- ¼ cup (59 ml) milk, room temperature
Vanilla Bean Glaze
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanill extract
- 2 - 3 tablespoons (30 - 45 ml) milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (170 C). Line a 9 x 5 loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving a bit of overhang on two sides.
- Peel, core and dice apples into ½ inch chunks. Toss the apples in a bowl with light brown sugar, cinnamon and ginger or nutmeg until all the apples are fully coated.2 cups peeled and diced apples, ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger or nutmeg
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together until well combined.1½ cup (180 g) all purpose flour, 1¼ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. This takes about 2-3 minutes on medium speed. On low, mix in the eggs, vanilla extract and sour cream until well combined.½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature, ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar, 2 large eggs (US), room temperature, 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract, ¼ cup (60 g) sour cream, room temperature
- Alternating dry ingredients and milk, mix in ½ of the dry ingredients into the wet, followed by the milk and the remaining dry ingredients.Fold in 1 ½ cups of the brown sugar cinnamon apples until just combined. Reserve the remaining apples for topping just before baking.¼ cup (59 ml) milk, room temperature
- Evenly spread the cinnamon apple bread batter into the prepared pan. Top with the reserved apple fritter topping. Bake the fritter apple bread for 50 - 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cinnamon apple bread comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool the cake in the loaf pan for 15 minutes. Use the parchment sling to lift the bread out of the pan. Cool completely before topping with the vanilla bean glaze.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the powdered sugar with vanilla bean paste and milk to your desired consistency. Drizzle over the cooled apple fritter loaf, slice and enjoy!1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar, ¼ teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanill extract, 2 - 3 tablespoons (30 - 45 ml) milk
Lana says
This looks so delicious and I cannot wait to try it. Thank You for sharing.
Megan says
Hi Lana, I hope you enjoy the apple fritter bread. Please let me know how it turns out for you!
Mike R. says
My five star rating is not for the finished fritter bread, it is for the PERFECT way you have presented this recipe.
I found you via to you from Facebook and am really excited to try this recipe. So excited that I'm going to the store for the apples today.
The pictures, the explanation, the FAQ, the substitutions, the expert tips, the storage make this an inexperienced baker's dream. I'll be back tonight to let you know how awesome it looks. I have a feeling it will be somewhere between awesome and amazing. Now, off to the grocery with the simple to use ingredient list.
Megan says
Hi Mike, thank you so much for the kind review of the blog post. I am so happy the information and stucture of the post is so helpful for you. Please let me know how the bread turns out once you make it!
Mike R. says
I made it tonight. FANTASTIC recipe.
I made sure to take some pictures.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/8TLhFsZB4FtUkGbd7
My glaze is more in the beige family, but I used almond milk in the recipe instead of dairy milk,
Megan says
I am so happy to read how much you love this apple fritter bread recipe!
Choppy Choppy says
I wish I could give this more stars! I cannot wait until I have more apples to use up so I can make another loaf. Like another commenter I doubled the recipe and it came together perfectly. I did not have sour cream on hand so I used extra cream cheese and thinned it out of it with half and half. Thank you so much for posting this recipe. I will be looking around on your site for more delicious things to make 🙂
Megan says
Hi Sara, I am so happy to read how much you love the apple fritter bread! I love the substiutions you used and I am so happy they worked out. Enjoy!
Marie A Messmann says
What's best apples to use?
Megan says
Hi Marie, Any "baking apple" works well for this bread. I used granny smith apples since I love the contrast of the tart apples with the brown sugar and spices. I provide more apple options in the Substitutions section of the blog post. Enjoy!
Jack says
Yummy!
Megan says
Hi Jack, I agree, this recipe is very yummy. Thanks!
Doretta says
This sounds so good.
Megan says
Hi Doretta, I hope you give the recipe a try! Please let me know if you do and how it turns out for you.
Christine Frontino says
Can you use apple pie filling for the Apple product bread
Megan says
Hi Christine, I have not tested apple pie filling. I think it could be too "wet" to work. However, if you decide to give it a try, please let me know how it turns out.
Dennis Antrim says
Can't wait to try this recipe, sounds delicious!! Maybe I'll try making it next week when it's a little cooler here in Arkansas. But want kind of apples do you suggest? Thanks
Megan says
Hi Dennis, I completely understand the desire to wait for cooler weather to make this recipe. I love using granny smith apples for this apple fritter bread. I have provided a list of other apples that would be perfect for this recipe included in the "Substitutions" section in the blog post. Hope that helps!
Laura says
This apple fritter bread is delicious!
Im so glad I doubled it to make 2!
Megan says
Hi Laura, thank you so much for the kind review. I am so happy you not only made the apple fritter bread, but that you made a second loaf! Enjoy!
Kaytee says
I absolutely loved the layout of the recipe! The ingredients and measurements at the bottom of each step, which kept it so simple!
You also gave options to double or triple the measurements, which made it super helpful. I made this recipe but haven't tasted it yet, it smelled delish in the oven!
Megan says
Hi Kaytee, I am so happy to read how much you love the recipe! I am also so happy you love the layout of the recipe card. Thank you for the kind review.