Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Prep the pan and heat the oven
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a loaf pan with a thin coating so the bread releases cleanly after baking.
Mix the dry ingredients
- Whisk all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg together until evenly combined and no streaks of spice remain.
Build the batter
- Cream unsalted butter, softened with brown sugar until fluffy, then beat in eggs one at a time until the mixture looks smooth.
- Alternate adding the dry ingredients with apple cider and sour cream, mixing just until combined so the loaf stays tender.
Bake
- Pour batter into the greased loaf pan and bake 50-55 minutes at 350°F until a toothpick comes out clean with no wet batter clinging.
Coat while warm
- Brush warm loaf with melted butter, then roll or press into cinnamon sugar to coat while the surface is still warm and tacky.
Notes
For deeper apple flavor, reduce the apple cider by simmering first until slightly thick and concentrated, then use it in the batter. For best texture, coat the loaf immediately while it’s warm so the cinnamon sugar adheres. Store covered at room temperature up to 3 days or refrigerate up to 5 days; freeze slices up to 2 months. For a lighter swap, use reduced-fat sour cream without changing bake time.