You can always count on this recipe—it’s the first thing people finish at gatherings.

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
In a small bowl, mix together the light brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

In a larger mixing bowl, cream together the granulated sugar and butter until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then stir in the vanilla extract.
In another bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Gradually add this to the wet mixture, alternating with the 1/2 cup of milk, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Mix just until combined.
Pour half of the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Add half of the chopped apples on top, followed by half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Pour the remaining batter over the apple layer, then top with the remaining apples and cinnamon-sugar mixture. Lightly press the apples into the batter.
Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top is browning too quickly, you can cover it loosely with aluminum foil for the last 15 minutes of baking.
Let the bread cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the glaze, mix together the powdered sugar with 2-3 teaspoons of milk or cream until you reach a drizzle-friendly consistency. Once the bread is cool, drizzle the glaze over the top.
Variations & Tips
If you have picky eaters at home, feel free to finely dice the apples so they blend more seamlessly into the bread. For a nutty addition, consider folding in 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans into the batter. You can also switch up the fruit; pears or peaches would make delightful substitutions. For a healthier twist, try using whole wheat flour or reducing the sugar by a third—trust me, it will still be plenty sweet and delicious!