Sourdough Apple Bread

5 from 1 vote

This sourdough apple bread is a buttery cake-like sweet bread filled with juicy apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon. The sourdough discard and orange juice add a touch of tang and create a perfectly tender bread that will appease all your fall flavor cravings.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1

Total Time1 15

Course: Sourdough

Cuisine: American

Servings: slices

Calories: 310kcal

Author: Rebecca Warfield

Equipment

Ingredients

Apple Mixture

2 Granny Smith apples peeled and chopped
1 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice about half of a medium lemon
1/3 cup brown sugar packed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Bread Batter

1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup sourdough starter discard
1 cup + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup orange juice

US - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350° F and grease and flour a 9" x 5" loaf pan (or line with parchment paper).
Add the apples, lemon juice, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Stir until combined. Set aside.
2 Granny Smith apples, 1 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed until it reaches a light and fluffy consistency, about 1-2 minutes. (A hand mixer will also work).
1/2 cup unsalted butter, 2/3 cup granulated sugar
Add the eggs, egg yolk, and sourdough starter. Mix on medium speed until combined and smooth, about 1 minute.
2 large eggs, 1 egg yolk, 1/4 cup sourdough starter discard
Add the flour, baking powder, and orange juice. Mix again on medium speed until just combined. Don't overmix!
1 cup + 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/3 cup orange juice
Spoon half of the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Use a silicone spatula to smooth it over.
Top the batter with half of the apple mixture. Use your fingertips to gently press the apples partially into the batter.
Spoon the remaining batter on top. Again, smooth it over with a silicone spatula.
Add the remaining apples on top and press them slightly into the batter.
Bake for 1 hour or until golden brown. The internal temperature should be 190°-200° F.
Cool on a wire rack in the pan. For a gooey bread, allow it to cool slightly before serving. For a pound cake-like texture, allow the bread to cool completely before serving.

Video

Notes

If your sourdough apple bread is browning too quickly on the top, tent it with aluminum foil.
Although you can use any apples, I recommend selecting ones that retain their shape when baked. Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, Fugi, and Jonajold are good options.
Be sure to butter and flour your loaf pan. Or line it with parchment paper if you prefer.
Either active or inactive starter will work. If you don’t have a sourdough starter, making your own is easy. Grab my free sourdough starter guide to learn how to make your own.
Sourdough apple bread is easier to remove from the pan and slice if you let it cool to room temperature. But we never make it that long.

Nutrition