Description
Homemade almond apple bread with rum raisin cream cheese delivers comforting autumn flavors in one delightful loaf. Warm spices and creamy filling make this recipe a perfect companion for weekend mornings or afternoon tea.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups diced small apples
- 2 well-beaten eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup sliced almonds
- ¼ cup room temperature butter
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 tbsp molasses
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp rum extract
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 1 pinch of cloves
- 8 oz (226 g) softened cream cheese
- ¾ cup chopped raisins
- ¼ cup brown sugar
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare the loaf pan by thoroughly greasing with butter and dusting with flour to ensure easy release.
- Dry Ingredient Blend: Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt to create a uniform dry mixture that will provide consistent flavor and texture.
- Butter Mixture: Cream butter with granulated and brown sugars using an electric mixer until the mixture becomes light, pale, and exceptionally fluffy, which typically takes 3-4 minutes.
- Egg Integration: Incorporate eggs individually into the butter-sugar mixture, ensuring complete blending after each addition to maintain a smooth, cohesive batter.
- Batter Development: Alternately fold dry ingredients and milk into the mixture in three stages, gently mixing to preserve the batter’s delicate structure, then fold in sour cream until just combined.
- Apple and Almond Incorporation: Lightly coat diced apples in flour to prevent sinking, then gently fold apples and chopped almonds into the batter, distributing them evenly throughout.
- Baking Process: Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the surface and sprinkling additional almonds on top. Bake for 55-60 minutes until a toothpick emerges clean and the top turns golden brown.
- Cooling and Finishing: Allow the bread to cool completely in the pan for 30 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack for further cooling before preparing the frosting.
- Rum Raisin Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat cream cheese at low speed, gradually adding brown sugar, molasses, vanilla, cinnamon, and cloves until light and airy. Fold in rum-soaked raisins, ensuring even distribution.
- Final Touch: Once the bread has cooled entirely, spread the rum raisin cream cheese frosting evenly across the top, creating a decadent and flavorful finish.
Notes
- Prevent Apple Sinking: Coat diced apples lightly in flour to keep them suspended throughout the bread, avoiding bottom-heavy distribution.
- Mixing Technique Matters: Cream butter and sugar thoroughly until light and fluffy, which creates a tender, airy bread texture.
- Egg Incorporation Tip: Add eggs one at a time and fully mix between additions to ensure a smooth, consistent batter without lumps.
- Cooling is Crucial: Allow bread to cool completely in the pan for 30 minutes before transferring, helping it set and preventing crumbling.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg