Cinnamon Apple Swirl Bread

Name: Cinnamon Apple Swirl Bread
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 1 large egg white; 1 tbsp water; 1/4 cup brown sugar; 3/4 tsp cinnamon; salt; 1 cup pecans; 1 medium-large apple; 1/2 cup brown sugar; 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon; 160 grams all-purpose flour; 7 grams baking powder; 3 grams salt; 115 grams unsalted butter; 120 grams granulated sugar; 10 grams vanilla extract; 2 large eggs; 250 grams sourdough discard; Softened butter

Caitlin Vincent

Servings: 12 Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Difficulty: Beginner

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About This Recipe

When it comes to discard recipes, my goals are two-fold. First, make something yummy. Second, use up as much discard as possible. This recipe uses a solid cup of discard and makes a delicious treat – a win-win! On top of that, it is a great way to use up those extra fall apples. This recipe works well with any kind of apple – so pick your favorite! It is perfect for breakfast or paired with a cup of coffee or tea for a sweet snack.

What I Love About This Recipe

Tender, sweet, delicious. Works with any kind of apple. The candied pecans top it all off.

All The “Why’s”

All-Purpose Flour

While I do try to eliminate flour in some of my discard recipes, it is not possible with this one. Flour adds necessary structure to an otherwise loose batter. Structure is especially important here: if we don’t have enough of it, the apples will sink to the bottom! We are going for a thick, but not dry, batter. I do recommend weighing your flour, as flour is one of the most inaccurate ingredients measured by volume. Too much flour, and your loaf will be, dry and crumbly, too little and the apples will pile on the bottom.

It is also important to note that all-purpose flour is superior to bread flour in any quick bread recipe. In fact, the lower the protein content, the better. Though I have not tested it, cake flour may even work wonders. The problem is: cake flour is not a staple ingredient in many homes; therefore, I choose not to base a recipe off of it unless it is absolutely necessary. The reason all-purpose flour is important is the same reason we mix this batter until “just incorporated” – gluten development is not desired. The development of gluten produces a chewy texture, which is not desirable in baked goods, such as quick breads.

Leavening

This recipe uses baking powder to leaven the bread, rather than the sourdough discard. This means you can bake your bread right away, without waiting for sourdough to do its magic. I prefer chemical leavening for sourdough discard recipes because we are using starter that is not in its prime state and may not leaven well. While it is true that the addition of flour feeds the yeast, and you may get a slow rise, sourdough-discard-leavened bread has the potential to be more sour, due to the ever populating bacteria (which are responsible for the sour flavor) and still may not rise properly. Not to mention how the other ingredients in this quick bread would hold up during this waiting period, namely the apples.

If you want to try long fermentation, do it in the refrigerator and wait to add the baking powder until you are ready to bake. In addition, just keep the batter in a separate bowl and wait to prep the apples until you are ready to layer everything into the loaf pan. While the yeast in your starter will not function well (due to the cold temperatures), the bacteria will still work to break down the flour during this time. By adding the baking powder, you are sure to get a loaf that has been appropriately aerated (since the yeast from your discard will not be able to adequately do this on their own).

Salt

Salt brings out flavor. I use just a touch in this recipe to enhance all the flavors in this quick bread.

Butter

While fat can have many purposes in a recipe, one major effect in quick breads is moisture retention. Without it, the loaf would be dry and crumbly. It also contributes to a tender crumb and rich flavor.

Sugar

Sugar is mainly used as a sweetener in this quick bread. This means you can increase or reduce the amount to your personal preference. While I left this recipe very sweet, adding an entire cup of sugar to mirror the nostalgia of my childhood, I know there are many who would prefer to allow only the sweetness of bananas to shine. Sugar has other important contributions, too; it aids in browning, tenderizing, moisture retention, and preservation/shelf life. Therefore, I would not recommend removing it completely.

Eggs

The more eggs you add to your bread, the more cake-like the bread becomes. Eggs add fluff, moisture, and structure. They make the bread light and tall. I find two eggs to be the perfect balance: the bread is not too cake-like, but is also not too dense.

Sourdough Discard

Sourdough discard adds structure and moisture, as it is made of flour and water. I love to use as much as possible in any given recipe, and this one is no different. This cinnamon apple swirl bread uses a nice cup of discard.

Fear not, if you have a solid maintenance routine, this recipe will not be sour. However, if your starter is very acidic and sour already, the recipes you make from it will be too. You can taste your discard (just a smidgen) before making this recipe – it’ll tell you what the results might look like! I have made this recipe many times and have never had a sour outcome, while others cannot even imagine making a recipe like this because their discard is so sour. Sourness comes from the bacteria in your starter. When they overpopulate, you can taste it.

Check Your Consistency

Sourdough discard can vary in thickness, depending on how long it has been sitting in the refrigerator (and how acidic it is). A thinner, runnier discard will produce a thinner batter, which means you would need to add a bit more flour. Meanwhile, a thicker discard will need less flour to create the right consistency. The amount of flour I have included in this recipe should work with any consistency of discard when measured by weight. However, use your best judgement to create a thick, but not dry, batter that can hold the apples where they need to be in the oven.

Candied Pecans

Candied pecans are an optional, super yummy step. I make just enough pecans for this bread, no extra. The egg white + water blend coats the pecans so that the cinnamon sugar can stick. I use brown sugar, but you can use granulated sugar if you want. These bake low and slow to caramelize the sugar and perfectly toast the pecans. I recommend prepping them in advance if you are planning to use them.

Apple

I make a cinnamon-sugar coated apple to layer inside of this bread. A couple notes about the apple – first, you can use any kind of apple you want! I love to use Granny Smith apples in this recipe. Second, you can see in the video what happens if the cinnamon-sugar-apple mixture is allowed to sit for too long – it liquidizes! This liquefaction won’t have a major effect on your bread, but I would still recommend waiting to mix the apple with the brown sugar and cinnamon until you are just about ready to layer everything in the loaf pan.

A Buttered Loaf Pan

I prefer to use softened butter over oil to grease the pan, as it holds its place extremely well and makes the surface truly nonstick. Of course, this being said, any fat that solidifies at room temperature would work well for this. It is especially important for this loaf to be able to slide out of the pan easily, as it is moist, delicate, and fragile while warm.

Cooling And Slicing Upside Down

Though the candied pecan topping is optional, I highly recommend it as it really is the cherry on top. Between the crunchy topping and the delicacy of this bread, cooling and slicing the loaf upside down provides a smoother transition to the cooling rack, as well as a cleaner slice. No matter what, the apples and the topping are going to make this one a bit messy, but slicing upside down can help!

📌 Quick Tip: Read the recipe in its entirety before you start cooking. This will help you understand the ingredients, steps, and timing involved, and allow you to prepare any necessary equipment or ingredients beforehand.

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