Fall Pumpkin Spice Apricot Bread

This sweet quick bread has a rich pumpkin flavor with a hint of holiday spices - cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg.  The walnuts add a nice flavor to the bread.  Add to this goodness, a maple glaze topped with walnuts.  MMMM:)
I make this bread over the holidays and serve it with different types of butter - pumpkin butter, apple butter, almond butter, peanut butter, and just butter.  

                                                     
Pumpkin Spice Apricot Bread

Bread Ingredients:

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

1-teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1-teaspoon ground cinnamon

1-teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

½ cup unsalted butter

1-cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¾ cup canned pumpkin

¾ cup diced dried apricots

¾ cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Glaze Ingredients:

½ cup powdered sugar

1/8-teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

¼ cup chopped walnuts

Directions for Bread:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9x5 inch loaf pan with Baker’s Joy *or similar product.  Set aside.

2. Whisk together the flour, soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves in a medium bowl.  Set aside.

3. Cream the butter and sugar together with a stand mixer using a paddle attachment until light and fluffy.

4. Beat together the two eggs in a small bowl.

5. Add the eggs and vanilla to the butter mixture. Mix until incorporated. 

6. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture alternating with the pumpkin.   End with the dry ingredients.

7. Fold the dried apricots and walnuts into the bread batter.

8. Transfer the batter into the prepared bread pan.

9. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

10. Cool bread in pan for 10 minutes.  Remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

Directions for Maple Glaze:

1. Stir together the powdered sugar, cinnamon, and maple syrup in a small mixing bowl until smooth.

2. Drizzle glaze over the cooled bread.  Sprinkle the chopped walnuts over the top of the bread.  

3. Slice and enjoy. 

*Bakers Joy is a baking spray of oil and flour.

Makes 1 loaf

Coarsely Chopped Walnuts

Chopped Dried Apricots

Dry Ingredients 

Dry Ingredients Whisked Together

Bread Batter Ready For Pan and Baking

Baked Bread

Maple Glaze

Slice of Pumpkin Spice Apricot Bread