Apple Cinnamon Bread

It was cold and rainy on Saturday, and there’s no better excuse to turn on the oven and bake. If you have two lonely Granny Smith apples in your fruit bowl, you too could make this lovely loaf of apple bread! 

• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon – divided
• 2 Granny Smith apples, chopped
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 3/4 teaspoons baking soda

1. Preheat oven to 350º, grease a 9″ x 5″ loaf pan. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
2. In a medium bowl, combine diced apples and 1 teaspoon cinnamon, set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream butter and granulated sugar together. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition, add vanilla extract and milk.
4. Whisk together flour and baking soda in a small bowl, add to the butter/sugar mixture, mix until well combined.
5. Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan, layer half of the apples on top, sprinkle half of the brown sugar/cinnamon on top. Gently press apples into batter. Repeat with remaining batter, apples, and brown sugar/cinnamon.
6. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, testing with a toothpick. Let bread cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes, then turn it out of the loaf pan to finish cooling.