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Sweet Alabama Pecan Bread

Sweet Alabama pecan bread is a Southern-style loaf with a crackly brown sugar-pecan top and a moist, buttery crumb. Toasted pecans are folded into the batter and baked until the center is set and the top turns golden-brown.
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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
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
  • 1.25 cup pecans, toasted and chopped, divided
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar for topping

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 9x5-inch loaf pan

Method
 

Prep the oven and pan
  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
Mix dry ingredients
  1. Whisk all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon in a bowl until evenly combined. Scrape around the edges to remove any cinnamon or salt clumps.
Cream wet ingredients
  1. Beat butter and brown sugar until fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla extract until smooth.
Combine batter
  1. Add the dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk, mixing just until combined. Stop as soon as no dry flour remains to keep the crumb tender.
Add pecans and transfer to pan
  1. Fold in 1 cup pecans, then pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Spread into an even layer so the top bakes uniformly.
Top and bake
  1. Top with remaining pecans and 2 tablespoons brown sugar. Bake for 55-60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool and slice
  1. Cool the loaf in the pan for 15 minutes before slicing. Let it cool slightly so the pecans stay set and the loaf slices cleanly.

Notes

Pro tip: Keep mixing to a minimum once flour is added—overmixing can make the loaf tough. Store wrapped at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; warm slices briefly for best texture. Freezing: yes, wrap tightly and freeze up to 2 months, thaw overnight in the fridge. For a lighter swap, use 1:1 baking-starch-free gluten-free all-purpose flour blend (choose one meant for quick breads) to make it gluten-friendly without changing the bake time much.