Layered Apple & Cinnamon Loaf

You know I’m making a cup of tea and getting cosy with a slice of this loaf. There’s something about the smell of cinnamon and baked apple that just feels like autumn in the best way.

This loaf, packed with 2 big green apples, has become a favorite recipe when I want something simple, comforting, and full of flavour. Unlike red apples, which can sometimes turn mushy in the oven, green apples keep a bit of their texture, which works perfectly in a loaf like this. They also bring a bright, tangy flavour that balances beautifully with the warmth of the cinnamon.

If you're into baking with apples as much as I am, I've got a few other apple recipes you might want to check out:

• Date, Apple & Brown Sugar Meringue Cake - a perfect crowd-pleasing cake for warm, cozy occasions

• Spiced Apple Galette - a sweet tooth’s pie, served with ice-cream

• Pear, Ginger & Walnut Loaf - replace the pears with apples and you’ve got a beautifully moist loaf

This spiced apple loaf hits all the right notes — soft, moist, gently spiced - just the thing to slice up and enjoy with a hot drink. I love it by itself; it’s packed with flavour and is a beautiful cakey texture.

Whether you’re baking this apple loaf for a weekend treat, a lunchbox addition, or just because you have a couple of apples sitting around, it’s a super easy, satisfying recipe to have on hand. Scroll down for the full recipe — and please do let me know if you give it a try!

the making of apple & cinnamon loaf. Rising in the oven and being cut

Layered Apple & Cinnamon Loaf Recipe

Makes: 1 loaf, 10 slices

Takes: 20minutes to make, 60 minutes bake time

Stewed caramel apple ingredients:

• 2 green apples

• 1/4 cup brown sugar

• 1 tbsp butter

• 1 tsp cinnamon or mixed spice

Method:

Cut apples into 1cm cubes. Melt butter and sugar in a non-stick pan on medium-low heat. Add in apples and spice. Stir to coat and simmer on low, stirring occasionally (try not to stir too much), around 10 minutes. Apples should be soft and caramel should be thick.

Note: If the caramel is still runny, remove apples from the pan, leaving caramel to simmer until it thickens. Pour thickened caramel over the apples and set aside to cool. It will thicken as it cools.

Cinnamon sugar layer

• 1/3 cup brown sugar

• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

Mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon and set aside for later.

Preheat oven to fan bake 180 deg and grease and line a 10cm x 17cm loaf tin.

Loaf Batter ingredients:

• 130 g butter, softened/room temperature

• 1/3 cup caster sugar

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 2 eggs (room temperature)

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 130g standard flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 3 tbsp yogurt

• 2 tbsp chopped walnuts for topping
  

Method:

Beat butter and sugars together until light and fluffy with electric beater or stand mixer for approximately 5 minutes. Add one egg at the time, beating well before adding the second egg.

Add vanilla and mix well.

Add yogurt and sift flour and baking powder. Fold together with the creamed butter until all incorporated.

Assemble in loaf tin:

Spoon 1/3 of the batter into the bottom of the loaf tin. Use spatular to roughly flatten out. Sprinkle 1/3 of the spiced sugar and 1/2 of the apples. Spoon another 1/3 of the batter on top, sprinkle 1/3 of the spiced sugar and 1/2 of the apples on the top. Spoon the last 1/3 of the batter on the top and sprinkle with spiced sugar. It doesn’t have to be perfect!

Bake:

Bake for 60 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. If it starts to brown too much on the top cover with baking paper. Leave it to cool for 15 minutes in the tin before transferring to a wire rack. Top with finely chopped walnuts.

Note: The loaf will cut cleaner when it’s completely cooled down. But can be enjoyed warm from the oven!

Enjoy!