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Sweet Alabama Pecan Bread

Sweet Alabama pecan bread with a crackly brown sugar pecan top and a moist, buttery crumb. This Southern loaf bakes until a toothpick tests clean, then rests briefly for easy slicing.
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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
  

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

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 oven

Method
 

Prep and heat
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F, then grease and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
  2. Toast and chop the pecans if not already done, and divide them so you have 1 cup for the batter and the rest for topping.
Mix dry ingredients
  1. Whisk all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon until evenly combined.
Cream wet ingredients
  1. Beat softened butter and packed brown sugar until fluffy.
  2. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla extract until smooth and glossy.
Combine batter
  1. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk, mixing just until combined—stop as soon as you don’t see dry flour.
  2. Fold in 1 cup of the pecans, then scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
Top and bake
  1. Sprinkle the remaining pecans over the top, then add the 2 tbsp brown sugar for topping.
  2. Bake for 55-60 minutes at 350F until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool and slice
  1. Cool the loaf in the pan for 15 minutes, using a slight jiggle to confirm it has set before slicing.

Notes

Pro tip: mix dry and wet just until combined to keep the crumb tender, then aim for a clean toothpick (not wet batter) before pulling the loaf. Store airtight at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days; freeze slices up to 2 months for best texture. For a lighter option, replace 1/2 cup of butter with an equal amount of plain Greek yogurt while keeping the rest the same.