What a lovely start to October it has been. I’ve reacquainted myself with my collection of jeans that seems to have somehow shrunken in the closet ever so slightly. I mean… jeans shrink from neglect right? It’d definitely not that I’ve moved to New Orleans, land of the beignet. I have also rediscovered my awkwardly large collection of scarves. Scarves are blankets we can wear in public… of course I own too many.
With the hint of crisp in the air, I’m also getting into pumpkin. There’s no use fighting it. Since I’m rediscovering old things as new, I thought I would remake my standard pumpkin bread recipe. It offers a familiar comfort that I’m looking for these days. This time I’ve used melted butter instead of vegetable oil and added the slightest dash of black pepper for intrigue.
Leaves are changing. We’re discovering we own too many scarves and too small jeans. We’re making our own Pumpkin Pie Spice. We’re drinking hot lattes. All signs point to Pumpkin Bread. Let’s just be here.
I am very pleased to report that this recipe is both simple and versatile. It also falls under the categories ‘delicious’ and ‘comforting’ so… we’re winning. I used melted butter (because DUH), though you can substitute vegetable / canola / or coconut oil if you have something against butter (it’s cool…). The egg can also be substituted with a flax seed egg. That leaves us at just about vegan, doesn’t it?
This is my favorite part: the coming together.
Egg, melted butter, and pumpkin puree are whisked together while the flour, leavening, and spices are tossed together.
Brown sugar is stirred into the wet ingredients along with orange juice and vanilla extract. The result is a velvety thick pumpkin mixture.
Stirring the wet ingredients into the dry. It’s teamwork between these two.
The batter is thick, sweet, and spiced. I spooned it into a parchment lined baking sheet.
I topped the batter with walnuts before baking though you can use pecans, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds according to what you have in your pantry.
Forty five minutes is just enough time to caffeinate, over caffeinate, and soften a bit of butter to spread on the warm bread.
This bread could easily be our Autumn staple… right up there with our many many scarves.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- big pinch of black pepper
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 cup light packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup pecans, very coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan and set aside. Alternately, grease a loaf pan, line with parchment paper and grease the parchment paper. The parchment paper will make the bread very easy to remove from the pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pinch of pepper. Set aside.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together egg, oil, and pumpkin puree until well combined. Add sugar, cream and vanilla extract and whisk well.
- Pour the wet ingredients all at once into the dry ingredients. Stir until thoroughly combined, and no pockets of flour remain in the batter. Batter will be pretty thick, not pourable.
- Spoon batter into the prepared loaf pan. Top with pecans.
- Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the bread comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve warm with extra butter and honey.
Diane | An Extraordinary Day
Yummm!! It looks amazing Joy!
I have a bunch of buttercup squash that I was given. Hmmm….do you think it would be okay to use the squash in place of the pumpkin?
Jenny @ The Peachy Pair
I have a can of pumpkin staring at me in the pantry as we speak. Perhaps I could use some of it here!
Theresa Nichols
Great minds think alike!
Was cleaning out the pantry and found some dates all dried out and sad. Added them to my pumpkin walnut bread. Little pieces of chewy, sweetness took it over the top. Loaf barely had time to cool and hubby was asking for another loaf this week.
FoodFlav
These look so fudgy and rich! I love the addition of the Pumpkin, too.
Ella
I appreciate you so, so much for offering a vegan option, Joy. Honestly, thank you! I cannot wait to make this- since becoming vegan I haven’t had a worthwhile pumpkin pastry of any sort. And I LOVE that you put in some OJ!
http://www.youtube.com/sparklesandsuch26
Sini | My Blue&White Kitchen
I’ll tell you something…I’ve never ever had pumpkin bread. Can you believe that? That’s probably the destiny of children growing up outside the U.S.. However, now that I’m all grown up and all I can change that. I can bake a loaf of pumpkin bread with walnuts.
This looks great, Joy!
shelly
I love the idea of adding a little pepper, its sort of makes it chai-y.
Side bar: do the leaves change in New Orleans? I’m always curious to know because I’ve lived in south florida where they decidedly do not change, Ohio where they definteily do (and are changing right now) and Houston where some did some didnt, but mostly they didnt.
Rebecca Jeffries-Hyman
In answer to your leaf question, not really. With very few exceptions, the trees that grow around here stay green until it gets really cold (like that ever happens) and then we get bare branches. I seriously don’t mind the lack of color because this time of year we get FESTIVALS!!
Alessandra // the foodie teen
pumpkin spice-ing everything is just inevitable at this time of year – i just made/posted/ate the whole batch of pumpkin spice & maple macaroons and now i’m hooked! i love pumpkin bread and the addition of pepper sounds super intriguing and delicious.
also, thank you thank you thank you for the book! i just got my copy and i’ve spent the last two hours cuddled up with a mug of tea poring over it (and bookmarking just about every page!) – it’s absolutely stunning! you should be seriously proud of yourself; it’s an absolute piece of art! ps – i seriously loved the sprinkles & vanilla touch!
Marzia @ Little Spice Jar
I have definitely got to try this recipe soon! I’ve got a very similar recipe for pumpkin bread + pumpkin muffins, so I know this is going to be fabbbulous!
P.S. I’ve also got a massive collection of scarves. I say they’re like shoes, a girl can never have too many.
Paulette
Between pumpkin bread and apple pie I have gained three pounds last week and now this looks so good and I just may try it, what’s another two pounds. Paulette
Cait
If you use pre-grated nutmeg (in the little container) is the measurement the same?
joythebaker
Sure! Maybe even just a tad bit more.
Averie @ Averie Cooks
Looks like a perfect loaf! And my favorite pumpkin quickbread base recipe that I use for snack cakes, muffins, loaves, is accidentally vegan. Love your recipe and that it can be adapted. Coconut oil and pumpkin is one of my faves, too :)
joythebaker
you’re the queen of all things pumpkin! your new book is lovely! i have my eyes on the pumpkin pretzels.
Ellen
So now that you are in New Orleans making magical pumpkin goodness…pumpkin beignets? Do you take requests?;)
joythebaker
i like the way you think!
Belinda Lo (Moonblush Baker)
Oh I am so going to try this pumpkin bread! It is truly the taste of Autumn all in one slice. The fact is vegan is bonus for those like me who forget to buy eggs…
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
your vegan pumpkin bread in your cookbook is my fav. if this is half as good I’ll be over the moon!