Ingredients:

  • 2 cups All-Purpose Flour (plus 1 tbsp for apples)
  • 3/4 cup Granulated Sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1/2 tsp Fine Sea Salt
  • 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) Unsalted Butter, melted and cooled slightly
  • 2 Large Eggs, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup Buttermilk
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract (for batter)
  • 2 large Firm Baking Apples (e.g., Honeycrisp, Gala), peeled, cored, and finely diced
  • 1 cup Powdered (Icing) Sugar, sifted (for glaze)
  • 2–3 tbsp Milk or Heavy Cream (for glaze)
  • 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract (for glaze)

Instructions:

  1. I. Preparation (The Mise en Place): Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease the loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides.
  2. Prep Apples: Toss the diced apples with 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour. This prevents the apples from sinking.
  3. II. Mixing the Batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the 2 cups of flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Create a well in the center.
  4. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the cooled melted butter, eggs, buttermilk, and 1 tsp vanilla extract until fully homogenous.
  5. Pour the wet ingredients into the well in the dry ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the mixture until just combined. Stop immediately when no streaks of flour remain (do not overmix).
  6. Gently fold the floured apples into the batter until evenly distributed.
  7. III. Baking: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread evenly. Bake for 55–60 minutes.
  8. Check for Doneness: Test the center with a long wooden skewer or toothpick. It should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached. If the top browns too quickly, loosely tent the loaf with foil after 40 minutes.
  9. Cool: Remove the loaf from the oven and let it rest in the pan for 10 minutes. Lift the loaf out and transfer it to a wire cooling rack to cool completely (about 30 minutes).
  10. IV. Glazing: Prepare Glaze: Whisk together the sifted powdered sugar, milk/cream (2–3 tbsp), and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract in a small bowl until smooth and pourable.
  11. Apply Glaze: Once the bread is cooled to lukewarm, drizzle or pour the glaze evenly over the top. Allow the glaze to set for 10–15 minutes before slicing and serving.