The fall pumpkin obsession continues…in the form a deliciously moist and rich tasting spiced pumpkin bread. This sweet quickbread reminds of the date-nut bread my grandma Bridget always served my sister and I when we visited her, not so much the taste but the luscious texture. Grandma would serve it with a proper smear of cream cheese, but I switched that up with homemade soy labneh (so many uses!) and it’s so satisfying with a warm cup of tea in the afternoon.
I have one more pumpkin recipe on the docket before Thanksgiving arrives… an updated (and easy!) pumpkin pie recipe. Will post that later this week.
We are heading up to coastal Maine to be with my family this year. Iley is so very excited, as am I to see loved ones and stuff our britches full of delicious food. I’ll be posting our escapades on instragram if you want to see what we’ll be cooking for the feast, and where we’ll be exploring during our travels.
I’ve also shared this recipe over on Our Narratives today if you fancy a read…
Spelt Spiced Pumpkin Bread
Yield 1 loaf
This bread can be easily made into muffins, and will take much less time in the oven, a good alternative for those of us with hungry little ones short on patience. And nice to have at the ready on Thanksgiving morning or for brunch the following day.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup spelt flour (can substitute with whole wheat pastry flour or all purpose flour)
- 3/4 cup rapadura (whole cane sugar)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder (non-aluminum)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- pinch of salt (optional)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 cup pureed buttercup squash or sweet pumpkin
- 1/2 cup olive oil (canola or sunflower oil will work)
- 1/3 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk (I used soymilk)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional add-ins: 1/2 cup of pumpkin seeds, walnuts, raisins, dried cranberries, or chopped dates. (If adding dates, reduce rapadura amount to 1/2 cup).
Instructions
To make bread:
- Preheat oven to 350˚F.
- Line a loaf pan with parchment so that it comes up the sides with some overhang.
- Whisk together the flour, rapadura, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices in a medium bowl.
- In a separate bowl whisk together pumpkin, oil, milk, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Add wet mixture to dry mixture and stir together with a rubber spatula until just incorporated. Do not overmix. Some lumps are ok. Batter will be on the thicker side.
- Scrape batter into the loaf pan and smooth out the top. Sprinkle pumpkin seeds over the top. Bake on center rack for 1 hour and 10-15 minutes. Top will be a dark amber color and toothpick should come out clean when inserted into the center of loaf.
- Remove loaf from oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes in loaf pan on a cooling rack. Then lift the bread out of the pan by pulling up the parchment. Allow bread to set and cool completely (1 hour) on a cooling rack before slicing. This bread becomes even better the next day!
To make muffins:
- Divide batter evenly between a 12 portion muffin tin, either greased or lined with baking cups.
- Bake for about 25 minutes at 350˚F.
To make pumpkin puree from scratch:
- Preheat oven to 425˚F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut your squash or pumpkin in half horizontally. Scoop out the seeds. Place on parchment skin side up. Bake on center rack for about 30-40 minutes until fork tender.
- Remove from oven and scoop out flesh into a food processor. Process roasted pumpkin until smooth.
Enjoy!
Notes
Store pumpkin puree in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 1 year.
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Like every single post before it, this is a work of art. I feel like I won some kind of small lottery whenever I see that a new post has been added to the site. Here in Australia (I live in Tasmania), we have pumpkin all year round and use it in many ways. This bread looks like it would travel from tin, to plate with hot tea, to dessert with whipped coconut cream and back through to breakfast the next morning. Versatile, beautiful and delicious just like the rest of this incredible website. Thank you for posting. You have a true gift.
Oh my gosh! Thank you so much for this lovely comment! Truly made my day. I’m so very grateful that you’ve taken the time to hop over here and have a read! xx Kaity