Praline-Apple Bread

I first saw this bread over at Cookies with Boys. I saw how delicious it looked and knew that with all the apples I had on hand from our mountain trip last month I would be making this. It really is a delicious bread. I brought this to work with me and several of my coworkers wanted the recipe right away.

It's back to school around these parts tomorrow. Thank goodness! My son will have been home from school since last Wednesday! Between our mountain hike and 2 days off this week due to teacher conferences and election day, he has certainly had an extended vacation! We've also both gotten our H1N1 vaccines. I work in a local hospital so I certainly felt I needed one. Normally, I don't even get a flu shot but this virus has me very nervous. My son is also asthmatic so we definitely wanted to make sure he had his. Poor guy, he was a nervous wreck this morning on the way to his doctors to get the shot. He was glad when it was over...and so was I!

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans, divided
1 (8 oz container) sour cream
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups finely chopped, peeled Granny Smith apples (about 3/4 pound)
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake 1/2 cup pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 6 to 8 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring after 4 minutes.

Beat sour cream and next 3 ingredients at low speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes or until blended.

Stir together flour and next 3 ingredients. Add to sour cream mixture, beating just until blended. Stir in apples and 1/2 cup toasted pecans. Spoon batter into a greased and floured 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup chopped pecans; lightly press pecans into batter.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour to 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, shielding with aluminum foil after 50 minutes to prevent excesive browning. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack.

Bring butter and brown sugar to a boil in a 1 qt heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly; boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and spoon over top of bread; let cool completely (about 1 hour).