Easy Apple Streusel Bread with Vanilla Bean Glaze
With apple season on the horizon, this apple streusel bread is THE dessert to make this fall. Tender and moist, this spiced loaf is filled with a double dose of apples (fresh apples and applesauce) and comforting warm spices. Topped with a buttery cinnamon brown sugar streusel and covered in a thick vanilla bean glaze, this combination of flavors makes for the perfect fall treat!!
Ingredients
For the Cinnamon streusel topping
- ½ (79 g) cup, plus 2 tablespoons All purpose flour
- ⅓ (73 g) cup Light brown sugar
- 1 (12 g) tablespoon Granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ (57 g) cup Unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
For the Apple bread
- 2 (250 g) cups All purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon Baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking soda
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons Ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Ground nutmeg
- 6 (84 g) tablespoons Unsalted butter softened to room temperature, (use a European style or Irish Butter - I used Kerrygold Irish Butter)
- ½ (100 g) cup Granulated sugar
- ½ (110 g) cup Light brown sugar packed
- 2 large Eggs room temperature
- 2 (30 g) tablespoons Unsweetened applesauce
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla extract
- ½ (120 g) cup Sour cream room temperature
- 1 cup Grated apples such as Honeycrisp, packed and drained of liquid
For the Vanilla bean glaze
- ½ (60 g) cup Powdered sugar sifted
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla bean paste you can also use vanilla extract
- 1 (15 g) tablespoon Milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line a 9x5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper. The parchment overhang should be on each of the longer sides for easy removal.
For the cinnamon streusel
- In a medium bowl, mix the flour, sugars, cinnamon, and salt. Add in the melted butter and use a fork to mix until combined.½ (79 g) cup, plus 2 tablespoons All purpose flour, ⅓ (73 g) cup Light brown sugar, 1 (12 g) tablespoon Granulated sugar, 1 ½ teaspoon Ground cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon Kosher salt
- Melt the butter and pour over the flour mixture. Stir with a fork until combined. Place streusel in the refrigerator until ready to use.¼ (57 g) cup Unsalted butter
For the apple bread
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.2 (250 g) cups All purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoon Baking powder, ½ teaspoon Baking soda, ½ teaspoon Kosher salt, 2 teaspoons Ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon Ground nutmeg
- Peel and grate 1 apple into a bowl. After grating, using paper towels or a linen towel, squeeze the apples by hand until they have released all of their liquid. After draining, measure 1 cup of the shredded and drained apples. (This was about one medium apple for me.)1 cup Grated apples
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and sugars together on low speed for 1 ½ minutes until combined. Scrape the bowl then increase the mixer to medium speed and beat for an additional 1 ½ minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle.6 (84 g) tablespoons Unsalted butter, ½ (100 g) cup Granulated sugar, ½ (110 g) cup Light brown sugar
- On low speed, add the eggs one at a time, until each one is incorporated and the mixture is light and fluffy. Next, add in the applesauce and vanilla extract and mix on medium speed until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle. (The mixture may look a little broken at this point but it will come back together.)2 large Eggs, 2 (30 g) tablespoons Unsweetened applesauce, 1 tablespoon Vanilla extract
- With the mixer on low, add ⅓ of the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. If still you see a little specs of flour its ok. Next, add in half of the sour cream and mix on low until just combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add in another ⅓ of the flour mixture, repeating the same steps as above. Add the last half of the sour cream, mixing until just combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the last of the flour and mix until almost incorporated. Add the grated apples and mix the rest of the batter by hand with a rubber spatula. Be careful not to over-mix.½ (120 g) cup Sour cream
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Tap the pan a few times on the counter to release the air bubbles then smooth the top of the batter with an offset spatula until smooth. Top the batter with the streusel topping and gently press down so it adheres.
- Bake at 350℉ for 55-60 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or cake tester comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Allow the bread to cool in the loaf pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then using the parchment overhang, lift the bread from the pan and onto a wire rack to cool completely.
For the vanilla bean glaze
- After the cake has completely cooled, make the glaze. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sifted powdered sugar, vanilla bean paste, and milk. Whisk until combined then drizzle over the top of the cooled cake. Enjoy!!½ (60 g) cup Powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon Vanilla bean paste, 1 (15 g) tablespoon Milk
Notes
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- Measure the shredded apples after draining - Because apples hold a lot of water, it is important to drain them prior to adding them to the batter. To do this, place the shredded apples in a cheesecloth or paper towels and squeeze them until they no longer release any liquid. Next, pack the drained apples into a measuring cup until you reach 1 cup. For me, this was about 1 large honeycrisp apple. I peeled my apples because that is what I prefer but feel free to leave the skin on if you like.
- Sift the flour - Sifting helps to aerate the flour, prevents flour clumps, and evenly distribute the dry ingredients
- Line the loaf pan with a parchment paper sling to ensure easy removal from the pan after baking. To make a parchment sling, spray the loaf pan with non stick baking spray then line the pan with parchment. The parchment paper should be long enough to hang over the sides of the pan
- Pan Choice - For the best results, I suggest using a aluminum loaf pan. Avoid using glass or ceramic pans as they conduct heat poorly leading to an uneven bake.
- Properly measure your flour. To properly measure your flour, use the spoon and level method. To do this, fluff your flour first, then spoon it into your measuring cup. Use the back of a butterknife to remove any excess flour. For best results, use a kitchen scale!!