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Sweet Alabama Pecan Bread

Sweet Alabama pecan bread with a crackly brown sugar pecan top and a moist, buttery crumb. Loaf-baked for 55-60 minutes, then cooled before slicing so the texture sets cleanly.
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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: 480
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry ingredients
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
Wet ingredients
  • 0.5 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Pecan topping
  • 1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped, divided
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar for topping

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Prep the pan and oven
  1. Preheat oven to 350F, then grease and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
  2. Reserve the pan so it’s ready for the batter the moment mixing is complete.
Mix the dry ingredients
  1. Whisk all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon in a bowl until evenly combined.
Mix the wet ingredients
  1. Beat softened butter and packed brown sugar until fluffy.
  2. Beat in eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla extract.
Combine batter
  1. Add the dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk, mixing just until combined to keep the crumb tender.
  2. Fold in 1 cup pecans, then pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
Top and bake
  1. Top with remaining pecans and brown sugar for a crackly finish.
  2. Bake 55-60 minutes at 350F, until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool and slice
  1. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes before slicing so the loaf sets.
  2. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature for the best texture.

Notes

To get that crackly pecan top, make sure the loaf pan is well greased and the topping is spread evenly before baking. Store airtight at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate up to 5 days; freeze slices for up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. For a lighter option, replace half the butter with an equal amount of plain Greek yogurt while keeping the rest of the ingredients the same.