Cinnamon Apple Bread

Cinnamon Apple Bread Recipe

Even though it reached the lofty heights of 21 degrees today, as I type I have my blanket over my knees and my glass of wine is red now not rosé. The evenings are darkening and cooling right down, I even had to snaffle in a drawer for a pair of pyjama bottoms when I went to bed last night. I am excited to light a fire and to legitimately eat crumble at all times. With this in mind I felt it was time to post another apple recipe to go with the other super popular ones on LL already. And this Cinnamon Apple Bread is a bloody beauty.

I feel I should have used some rustic windfall apples for this simple cake, but I didn’t have any. My boss gave me some pears from his garden but I already poached those before I decided to share this autumnal recipe with you, so Ocado Pink Lady’s had to rise to the occasion. Even though this is called Cinnamon Apple Bread, it is of course, a cake. Bread makes it sound suitable to eat at breakfast time, guilt free. This bread/cake is just a simple batter, the apples are tossed in cinnamon sugar then layered into the batter for a hint of fruit and bite. The whole loaf is then sprinkled with more cinnamon sugar for added sweetness and a huge taste of autumn. Within the hour this warm, appley treat is ready to devour, just don’t slice it whilst still too warm like I did, or you will just have a pile of cinnamon crumbs to scoop up, not the end to the world just not so aesthetically pleasing. Thank you to Plated Cravings for the recipe inspiration.

I have made this Cinnamon Apple Bread a lot now, which is testament to it’s deliciousness. And to my love of autumn based baked goods. And to my voracious appetite for cake when I should be avoiding sugar. Everyone deserves a treat day or two. Or three.

Here’s the line up, minus an apple. I actually used two as my one was a little tiddly. All nice and simple and a great store cupboard cake.

Make a start on your Cinnamon Apple Bread by pre heating the oven to 160 degrees fan assisted and lining your 1kg loaf tin with a loaf tin liner or baking paper. Now make a start with a bit of weighing and measuring. Weigh the flour then add the baking powder, salt and cinnamon.

Please note my ten day old manicure holding up nicely.

Give the mix a little stir then pop to one side. Next chop your 1 if large, or 2 if small, apples, into small squares and mix with the brown sugar and cinnamon then keep that safe til later.

Now for the cake batter. In either your stand mixer, food processor or a bowl with a hand whisk or wooden spoon *blimey* beat the soft butter or Stork with the caster sugar until lighter in colour and texture.

Measure in the vanilla then drop in the eggs and beat, one by one, until well mixed. Don’t worry if it looks curdled, it will be fine.

Now, add a third of the flour and cinnamon blend, then half the milk, followed by another third of flour, the rest of the milk then finish with the final third of flour.

Ta-dah.

Scrape half the batter into your lined loaf tin then top with half the apple cinnamon mix.

Top with the second half of the cake batter then the rest of the apples. Swirl with a knife to gently mix then sprinkle the top of the loaf with the mix of caster sugar and cinnamon.

Bake this seasonal treat for 45 to 55 minutes, dependent on how lively your oven is. The cooked cake is golden, firm to the touch and of course, a skewer comes out clean when poked in the middle.

Try and wait a little longer than I did for your Cinnamon Apple Bread to cool before you cut it into lovely great big slabs. And then devour it.

Sweet, warming, comforting and laden with fruit. This bread/cake is a keeper. In both senses of the word. If you don’t scoff the whole loaf in one sitting, this will keep beautifully in a tin for around 4 days. Not in my kitchen, but maybe in yours.

Lucy x

Cinnamon Apple Bread Recipe

Makes a lovely loaf sized cake

You will need a 1kg loaf tin, lined and a stand mixer or bowl and a spoon

Cake

190g plain flour

1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

115g Stork or soft butter

100g caster sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

120ml milk

Filling

1-2 apples, dependent on their size, chopped, don’t bother to peel

50g soft brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Topping

1 tablespoon caster sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Pre heat your oven to 160 degrees fan assisted and line your 1kg loaf tin.

In a bowl, mix together the plain flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon and pop to one side.

Chop either one or two apples, two if they are small, into small squares. Stir through the brown sugar and cinnamon until the apple is coated. Pop to one side for the moment.

In your stand mixer or a large bowl with a hand whisk or a wooden spoon, cream the soft butter or Stork with caster sugar until lighter in colour and texture. Add the eggs, one at a time and the vanilla and whisk. Don’t worry if it looks curdled here.

Now, add a third of the flour, followed by half the milk and repeat until you finish with the last third of the flour.

Spoon half of the batter into the bottom of your loaf tin. Top with half the apples then spoon on the second half of the cake batter. Top with the last of the apple then swirl through with a knife.

Mix the tablespoon of sugar with the last 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and then sprinkle on the top of the cake. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until golden, firm to the touch, smelling amazing and a skewer comes out clean when poked in the middle.

Leave to cool before removing from the tin and eating in huge slabs. This lovely cake will keep beautifully, well wrapped, for around 4 days.