Sweet Alabama Pecan Bread

Position an oven rack in the center position and preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a standard 9×5-inch loaf pan generously with butter or non-stick cooking spray. Line the bottom and longer sides with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to easily lift the finished loaf out later.

Place the chopped pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until they become fragrant and turn a rich golden brown. Be vigilant, as nuts can burn quickly. Remove immediately from heat and transfer to a cold plate to stop the cooking process. Set aside 1/4 cup of toasted pecans for the topping.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, dark brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg. Whisk thoroughly to break up any lumps in the brown sugar and ensure even distribution of the leavening agents.

In a separate medium bowl, whisk the two room-temperature eggs until smooth. Add the melted butter, room-temperature buttermilk, and pure vanilla extract. Whisk vigorously until the wet ingredients are completely emulsified and uniform in texture.

Pour the liquid mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, fold the mixture together gently just until combined. Stop folding when a few small streaks of flour remain visible. Gently fold in 3/4 cup of the toasted pecans. Crucial Tip: Do not overmix the batter; overworking the gluten produces a tough, dense bread rather than a tender crumb.

Pour the thick batter into your prepared loaf pan and smooth the top evenly with your spatula. In a tiny bowl, mix the reserved 1/4 cup toasted pecans, 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons melted butter, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Scatter this streusel topping evenly over the surface of the batter, pressing down very lightly with your fingertips so it adheres.

Place the loaf pan in the center of the preheated oven. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes. At the 35-minute mark, check on the bread: if the top is browning too quickly, tent a piece of aluminum foil loosely over the top of the pan for the remaining time. The bread is done when a wooden toothpick inserted into the thickest part of the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached (no wet batter).

Transfer the loaf pan to a wire cooling rack and allow the bread to cool inside the pan for 15 minutes. Use the parchment paper handles to lift the loaf out of the pan, transferring it directly onto the cooling rack to cool for another 15 to 20 minutes before slicing. Slice with a serrated bread knife for clean, beautiful pieces.