Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin Bread

Fall will soon be here.  The leaves are beginning to turn and the air is crisp.  One of my fall traditions is the baking of Pumpkin Bread.   Instead of making my old recipes, I thought I would try the new recipe I found in the latest issue of "Cook's Illustrated."  

This recipe is slightly more complex than your typical quick bread recipe.  For starters, you cook the canned pumpkin with  spices until it is reduced to 1 1/2 cups.  Cream cheese, sugar, eggs and buttermilk are incorporated into the cooked  pumpkin mixture. You then  fold in your typical flour mixture into the cooked pumpkin.  Fold in some toasted walnuts and the batter is ready for the baking pans.    A wonderful streusel topping is sprinkled over the bread before baking.  

The result is a bread that is  moist and has a very rich pumpkin flavor - a plus for me.  The walnuts and the streusel added sweetness, texture,  and crunch to the bread.  

The bread was enjoyed by everyone.  The spouse drizzled caramel sauce over his pieces -  a very tasty addition:)

Pumpkin Bread

Makes 2 loaves

From "Cook's Illustrated"

Note:  Preferred loaf pan measures 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inches; if using a 9 by 5 loaf pan, start checking for doneness five minutes early.

Topping

5 tablespoons packed (2 1/4 ounces) light brown sugar

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

Bread

2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 (15 ounce) can unsweetened pumpkin puree

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar

1 cup packed (7 ounces) light brown sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

4 ounces cream cheese, cut into 12 pieces

4 large eggs

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped fine

1. FOR THE TOPPING: Using fingers, mix all ingredients together in a bowl until well combined and topping resembles wet sand; set aside.

2. FOR THE BREAD:  Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease two 8 1/2 by 4 1/2-inch loaf pans.  Whisk flour, baking powder, and baking soda together in a bowl.
3. Combine pumpkin puree, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in large saucepan over medium heat.  Cook mixture, stirring constantly until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, 6 to 8 minutes.  Remove pot from heat; stir in granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, and cream cheese until combined.  Let mixture stand for 5 minutes.  Whisk until no visible pieces of cream cheese remain and mixture in homogeneous.

Dry Ingredients

Cooking Pumpkin and Spices

4. Whisk together eggs and buttermilk.  Add egg mixture to pumpkin mixture and whisk to combine.  Fold flour mixture into pumpkin mixture until combined (some small lumps of flour are OK).  Fold walnuts into batter.  Scrape batter into prepared pans.  Sprinkle topping evenly over top of each loaf.  Bake until skewer inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes.  Let breads cool in pans on wire rack for 20 minutes.  Remove breads from pans and let cool for at least 1 1/2 hours.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Eggs and Buttermilk

Batter

Ready For Oven

Done

Pumpkin Bread

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