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Sweet Alabama Pecan Bread

Sweet Alabama pecan bread with a crackly brown sugar pecan top and a moist, buttery crumb. Baked in a loaf pan until the center sets clean, then sliced after a short in-pan cool for tender texture.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Southern American
Calories: 360
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

All-purpose flour
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour For the loaf structure.
Baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking powder
Baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
Salt
  • 0.5 tsp salt
Ground cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
Butter
  • 0.5 cup butter, softened Softened butter blends smoothly.
Brown sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed Packed for deep caramel flavor.
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar for topping Sprinkle over pecans before baking.
Eggs
  • 2 large eggs
Buttermilk
  • 1 cup buttermilk Adds tang and tenderness.
Vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Pecans
  • 1 1/4 cup pecans, toasted and chopped, divided Use 1 cup in the batter and reserve the rest for topping.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prepare and mix dry ingredients
  1. Preheat oven to 350F, then grease and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
  2. Whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon until evenly combined.
Mix wet ingredients
  1. Beat butter and packed brown sugar until fluffy, then beat in the eggs one at a time and mix in the vanilla extract.
Combine batter and add pecans
  1. Add dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk, mixing just until combined (do not overmix).
  2. Fold in 1 cup of the toasted chopped pecans, then pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
  3. Top with the remaining pecans and sprinkle over 2 tablespoons of brown sugar.
Bake and cool
  1. Bake at 350F for 55-60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
  2. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes before slicing to keep the crumb tender.

Notes

Pro tip: Toast and chop the pecans for better flavor and a more noticeable crackly topping. Storage: keep airtight at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate up to 5 days; warm slices briefly for best texture. Freezing: yes, freeze wrapped slices for up to 2 months. Dietary swap: use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free version (check blend includes xanthan gum).