Go Back

Sweet Alabama Pecanbread Loaf

Bake a moist Sweet Alabama Pecanbread loaf with butter-toasted pecans, dark brown sugar, and buttermilk for a crackly crust and tender crumb.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Rest Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 10
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 cups pecan halves coarsely chopped
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter for toasting pecans
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour fluffed and leveled
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar packed
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup full-fat buttermilk room temperature
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
  • 2 large large eggs room temperature
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment

  • 8.5x4.5-inch loaf pan
  • Parchment paper
  • Medium skillet
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Wire cooling rack
  • Rubber spatula

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line an 8.5x4.5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, allowing 2 inches of overhang on the long sides.
  2. Melt 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a medium skillet over medium-low heat.
  3. Add the coarsely chopped pecans to the skillet and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until fragrant and toasted, then remove from heat and set aside to cool.
  4. Whisk together the all-purpose flour, dark brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, and ground cinnamon in a large mixing bowl.
  5. Whisk the full-fat buttermilk, melted unsalted butter, room-temperature eggs, and vanilla extract together in a separate liquid measuring cup until smooth.
  6. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula just until combined, leaving no dry spots of flour.
  7. Fold the butter-toasted pecans and any butter remaining in the skillet gently into the batter.
  8. Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top evenly with your spatula.
  9. Let the filled loaf pan sit at room temperature for 10 minutes prior to baking.
  10. Bake at 350°F for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean and the internal temperature reaches 200°F.
  11. Cool the bread in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes.
  12. Lift the loaf out of the pan using the parchment paper overhang and cool completely on the wire rack for 60 minutes before slicing.

Notes

If using a 9x5-inch loaf pan instead of an 8.5x4.5-inch pan, check for doneness 5 minutes earlier (around 45 to 50 minutes total).
To prep ahead, toast the pecans up to 3 days in advance and store them in an airtight container at room temperature.
For high altitude baking (above 3,000 feet), reduce the brown sugar by 2 tablespoons and increase buttermilk by 2 tablespoons.