For the last 3 years I've made pumpkin bread without fail. Every year I change a little something, but for the most part, it stays the same. I can't resist waking up in December, throwing the loaf in the oven and going back to bed-- just to wake up again to the tantilizing smell of spices, pumpkin, fresh baked goods.It's divine.
My recipe started out somewhere... I believe I was eyeing a few banana bread recipes and decided to make up my own pumpkin variety. Though, honestly, I may have taken three or four pumpkin bread recipes and combined them to make what I thought would be tastiest. Then I went off from there, changing something here, altering something there.
I used to add water into every batch to make it moister, but over time I realized that the pumpkin I roast and then freeze and then thaw is very, very watery-- which made my pumpkin bread kind of fall apart. I took out the water this year and it's the perfect amount of moistness (even four days after, as I had a piece today).
A few weeks ago I had ideas for recipes like none other. I still do, but most of them are sweet... I've also gotten my boyfriend to cook more so I might start taking pictures of what he makes. This weekend he roasted/smoked me a Turkey, and it was very very very good. I feel like the luckiest. :)
Holiday Pumpkin Bread
¼ cup melted butter
¾ cup white sugar
1 egg
¾ cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup white flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon all spice
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cloves
¼ cup dried cranberries
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
1/8 cup brown sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 tablespoon butter
Preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit.
Prepare either a regular sized loaf pan or two mini loaf pans by spraying with Pam or greasing them. Sprinkle the insides with about a tablespoon of white sugar, barely dusting the bottom and edges.
Soak the cranberries in a mixture of sugar and warm water.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine butter, sugar, and eggs. Add the pumpkin and vanilla extract and mix well.
In a separate bowl, sift together flour, soda, powder, salt, and spices. Add to the pumpkin mixture and stir together.
Drain the cranberries and pat dry, roll in a little bit of white sugar and then fold gently into the batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
In a small, separate bowl, combine the remaining butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and walnuts. Sprinkle the mixture over the loaves of bread.
Bake an hour to an hour and a half -- or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Top with butter or cream cheese icing
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