Alabama-Style Sweet Pecan Bread

That sounds like a wonderfully comforting and regionally authentic request! Alabama-Style Sweet Pecan Bread emphasizes the rich, buttery flavor of pecans, often combined with a moist, slightly spiced quick bread base. It’s perfect for coffee or dessert.

This recipe delivers a moist crumb and a heavy dose of nuts, reflecting the Southern love for pecans.

🍞 Alabama-Style Sweet Pecan Bread

This is a quick bread (no yeast) recipe, yielding one loaf in a $9 \times 5 \text{ inch}$ ($23 \times 13 \text{ cm}$) loaf pan.

I. Ingredients

Component	Quantity	Notes
All-Purpose Flour	$2 \text{ cups}$
Granulated Sugar	$1 \text{ cup}$
Baking Powder	$2 \text{ tsp}$
Salt	$\frac{1}{2} \text{ tsp}$
Ground Cinnamon	$\frac{1}{2} \text{ tsp}$	For warmth.
Large Eggs	$2 \text{ whole}$	Lightly beaten.
Whole Milk or Buttermilk	$\frac{3}{4} \text{ cup}$	Buttermilk adds classic Southern tenderness.
Unsalted Butter	$\frac{1}{2} \text{ cup}$ ($113 \text{ g}$)	Melted and slightly cooled.
Vanilla Extract	$1 \text{ tsp}$
Pecans	$1 \text{ cup}$	Coarsely chopped. Toasting them first (see tip) enhances flavor.

II. Instructions

1. Preparation

1. Preheat: Preheat your oven to $175^\circ\text{C}$ ($350^\circ\text{F}$).
2. Prep Pan: Grease and flour a $9 \times 5 \text{ inch}$ loaf pan. For easy removal, line the pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides.

2. Mixing the Batter

1. Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
2. Wet Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the lightly beaten eggs, milk (or buttermilk), melted butter, and vanilla extract.
3. Combine: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix gently using a spatula or spoon only until the ingredients are just combined. Do not overmix (overmixing results in a tough bread).
4. Fold In: Gently fold in the $1 \text{ cup}$ of chopped pecans.

3. Baking

1. Fill Pan: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread evenly.
2. Bake: Bake for $55 \text{ to } 65 \text{ minutes}$.
3. Test: The bread is done when a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs attached. If the top browns too quickly, loosely tent it with aluminum foil for the remaining baking time.
4. Cool: Let the bread cool in the pan for $10 \text{ minutes}$ before lifting it out using the parchment overhang. Transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.

🍯 Optional: Simple Pecan Glaze

To add extra sweetness and moisture, top the cooled bread with a quick glaze:

• Ingredients: $\frac{1}{2} \text{ cup}$ powdered sugar, $1-2 \text{ tablespoons}$ milk or buttermilk, $\frac{1}{4} \text{ teaspoon}$ vanilla.
• Method: Whisk ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled bread.

✨ Tip for Enhanced Flavor

Toast the Pecans! Toasting the pecans before adding them to the batter significantly deepens their flavor. Spread the chopped pecans on a baking sheet and toast them in the preheated oven for $5 \text{ to } 8 \text{ minutes}$ until fragrant, then let them cool before adding them to the batter.

Enjoy this sweet Southern treat!

Would you like a recipe for a classic Southern Praline Pecan Topping instead of a simple glaze?