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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. It’s baked until a toothpick tests clean, then cooled briefly in the pan so the slice holds together.
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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: 420
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 and filling
  • 1.25 cup pecans, toasted and chopped, divided
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar for topping

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep the pan and dry mix
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F and grease and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan. This sets up steady heat for even baking.
  2. Whisk all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon in a bowl. Whisk until the cinnamon is evenly dispersed.
Cream and combine
  1. Beat butter and brown sugar until fluffy, then beat in the eggs one at a time and the vanilla extract. Mix just until smooth and glossy.
  2. Add the dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk, mixing just until combined. Stop as soon as you no longer see dry streaks.
  3. Fold in 1 cup pecans, then pour the batter into the loaf pan. Spread it evenly to help the top bake uniformly.
Top and bake
  1. Top with the remaining pecans and 2 tablespoons brown sugar. Leave a visible layer so it crackles as it bakes.
  2. Bake for 55-60 minutes at 350F until a toothpick comes out clean. Look for a deep golden top and set center.
  3. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes before slicing. The loaf will finish setting so it cuts cleanly.

Notes

For the best crackly top, make sure the pecans are truly toasted and the oven is fully preheated before baking. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freezing is yes—wrap slices and freeze up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat butter and 1/2 cup less brown sugar while keeping the topping amount unchanged.