A few weeks ago, we discovered that Will LOVES pumpkin bread. Since he's often too busy to be bothered with eating (after all, who can eat when there are trains to push, trucks to drive, and big words like po-me-gra-nate, a-vo-ca-do and re-fri-ger-at-or to say loudly?), we are always thrilled to find something he's willing to make time for.
The recipe is from my new favorite cookbook, Recipes From The Root Cellar
. I doubled it and made one loaf with almonds (for me) and one loaf with chunks of crystallized ginger (for my husband who is wild about the stuff). Will can eat both, of course. Had I had them on hand, I might have added mini chocolate chips to one of the loaves, too...
. I doubled it and made one loaf with almonds (for me) and one loaf with chunks of crystallized ginger (for my husband who is wild about the stuff). Will can eat both, of course. Had I had them on hand, I might have added mini chocolate chips to one of the loaves, too...
The result is gooood. A sweet, rich, moist loaf with just the right amount of spice and flavor. Excellent plain and even better toasted and spread with butter or cream cheese.
This recipe calls for butter but if you don't eat dairy, there are many others out there that use oil instead of butter. I used canned pumpkin but you can also use leftover squash purees (even if they're already flavored or spiced) or make your own pumpkin puree if you've got the time. If you do that, just remember to seek out a pumpkin meant for eating -- the ones we carve would taste gross!
Enjoy! Wishing you and yours a sweet new year.
Pumpkin Bread With Almonds & Crystallized Ginger
Makes one loaf
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 tsps baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsps ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted and cooled
- 1 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar
- 2 eggs (use pasture-raised if you can get 'em)
- 1 cup cooked, pureed pumpkin or winter squash
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds or chopped pecans or walnuts (optional) or
- 1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger (optional) or
- 1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate morsels (optional)
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan and set aside.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt in a medium bowl.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the butter and brown sugar until well-blended. Beat in the eggs and pumpkin/squash until smooth. Stir in the flour mixture then fold in the optional ingredients (nuts, ginger, chocolate). Scrape the batter into the greased loaf pan.
4. Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes then remove from the pan and cool completely.
You might also like:
8 comments:
Yum, sounds and looks delicious. And look at that precious baby!
Mahalo for sharing the recipe and photos - it looks soooo good! I had an abundant pumpkin/winter squash harvest this fall and I've been looking for other ways to use them - I'm going to try your recipe. The Chedder/Dill bread you made looks really good too!
Thanks, guys! Jane, I've got a few other good winter squash recipes - check out this page: http://gardenofeatingblog.blogspot.com/2008/05/vegetables-recipes.html (gingered sauteed squash, miso-glazed kabocha, cider-glazed delicata, etc., etc. and some really tasty, hearty recipes for stuffed winter squash, too if you want to use them for a main course - http://gardenofeatingblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/baked-stuffed-squash-three-ways.html)
Will is so cute!I love pumpkin bread, you gave me a great idea with the crystallized ginger. I have to try that soon
Going to bake this for my baby. He likes root veggies and bread so this is a perfect combination.
Here it is, 2012 and I'm trying out your year-old pumpkin bread recipe! I just finished preparing the batter and it's now in the oven! I modified the recipe by adding a little bit more of each spice. The leftover "batter scrap" on the spatula tasted divine so I can't even imagine how good the baked result will taste like (one hour to go!!).
Many thanks. I discovered your blog today and I look forward to keeping up w/your posts and poring through the older ones.
Cheers, Silvia
Thanks, Silvia. Hope it turns out deliciously and that you have a good 2012. Looking forward to hearing from you again soon.
It turned out great, thanks! Definitely a keeper. My husband and I have been enjoying the bread this week, both on its own and with a fabulous strawberry preserve for breakfast. A little powdered sugar also gives it an extra dessert-ish touch!
This is. hands down, the best recipe I've come across for pumpkin bread. Its neither an unhealthy, butter and egg loaded version nor one of those "slimmed down" formulas that ends up with a rubbery texture and little flavor. It's just perfect -and so easy. Thanks again.
Silvia
Post a Comment