Monday, October 12, 2009

Pumpkin Bread

I made pumpkin bread for my 6 year-old who stayed home from school today with the flu. Some pumpkin bread for my little pumpkin pie :)

I didn't have a recipe on hand, so I looked around online. Nothing for a plain, simple pumpkin bread. Recipes with orange, candied ginger, chocolate chips, cream cheese, but nothing basic. So I turned to my trusty Better Homes and Gardens hardcover cookbook (that I mail-ordered, without my mother's permission, when I was a teenager. You know, one of those "bill me later" deals. She was less than pleased when it arrived.).

I used the pumpkin bread recipe in the Better Homes book as a starting place. And then I changed it. I added whole wheat flour, changed the types and amounts of spices, changed the shortening to canola oil (trans fats and all that), then decreased the oil and added some apple sauce, and finally added a splash of vanilla. Oh, and changed the cooking temperature.

My bread cooked up sweet and moist, without the usual "smooshyness" these types of bread can have when made with a bunch of oil (not to mention the oil slick they can leave on the roof of your mouth). And the whole wheat flour gave the loaf a very nice texture. Most important, my poor, sweet, sick pumpkin head thought it was awesome.

Pumpkin Bread
Printable Recipe

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie mix)
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup applesauce
2 eggs
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Heat your oven to 325. Spray a standard, 9x5-inch loaf pan with non-stick spray.

2. Combine all of the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Combine all of the wet ingredients in a separate medium bowl and whisk well. Add the wet mixture to the dry and mix well.

3. Turn the batter out into the prepared pan and spread it evenly into the corners. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs sticking to it.

4. Cool the bread in the pan for 10 minutes, and then remove the loaf to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 12-14 servings


16 comments:

  1. That looks fantastic! Does it have a really dense texture, or more cake like? I love making breads like this, but half the time, they end up more cake like, so you can't slather some butter (or sunflower butter, yum) all over it w/out it falling apart. Not that cake-like bread is bad... but I like knowing what i should be having my slice of heaven with!!! :)

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  2. NikiTheo, thanks for your comment and question! The bread is NOT cake-like, and could definitely take some butter. So slather it on and enjoy! :)

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  3. Hi there--have you tried this with brown sugar and decided that white was better?

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  4. Lily, I haven't tried it with brown sugar. Some of the recipes I looked at online had white sugar and some used brown. I just happened to use white in this recipe. I'm sure brown sugar would work equally as well, and it might give the bread a deeper taste. Thanks for your question! :)

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  5. This bread is now a firm favourite in my household. We made in once a week for the last 3 weeks and everyone enjoys it. Last week I baked a loaf for my art class and it was enjoyed by all. "Halloween is in the air" I was told.

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  6. I made this into muffins since I don't have a loaf pan and they were great. I even used splenda in place of sugar and added walnuts for some texture. Definitely a fall favorite!

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  7. This is a great recipe! Very good!

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  8. Hi, I finally got a chance to make this recipe this weekend and it was fabulous!!! Truly, and I eat a lot of pumpkin bread around the holidays. I added nuts and raisins and it is now hands down my favorite. Thank you so much!!!

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  9. Kathleen, thanks for your comment :) I'm so happy you made and enjoyed it...I now have a craving, and will probably have to go make a loaf ;)

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  10. This was absolutely delicious!!! I have never made a quick bread using wheat flour, but was looking to make the bread more nutritious. I will absolutely be passing this recipe along, and am planning to make it again to send to family. THANKS!

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  11. I have been perusing web sites for a pumpkin bread recipe to use up my surplus of pumpkin and FINALLY I found what I was looking for. I can't wait to make it. Thank you!

    Marian

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  12. @Meredith and madmud, Thanks for your comments! Meredith, I'm so glad it worked so well for you, and I'm honored that you want to make it for your family :) Madmud, I'd love to hear how it works for you! :)

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  13. Eris Brianna CaverMarch 20, 2012 at 6:37 PM

    I just made it using dark-brown sugar instead of white sugar, and the results were FANTASTIC! It tastes extremely close to gingerbread in wonderful ways, but with the added complexity from the pumpkin and applesauce. And the whole-wheat flour makes it all solid and strong (and, hey, like you said, almost good for me! *laughs*)

    This recipe will DEFINITELY be something I'll be baking up on a regular basis, and I'll be sharing it with my good friends. Thank you so much for posting it!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for you super-sweet comment! I needed a pick-me-up after my day today, and you just totally made my night! :)

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  14. Yummy! I added 2 T of flaxseed to up the fiber content. I'm trying not to have a second piece. This was simple and tasty.

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    Replies
    1. Good idea on the flax seed. Thanks for letting me know how it went for you! :)

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