Pumpkin Spice Bread
Monday, November 23, 2009
Truth be told, I don’t care so much about pumpkins. I love them when they are hollowed-out and carved into jack-o-lanterns but I don’t need them in my ravioli, bread, or pies. I get excited about the first bite but I am usually bored by the second. I generally pass up recipes for pumpkin bread, but this recipe was in my new cookbook obsession, The Craft of Baking by Karen DeMasco. Bryan loves pumpkin bread and so I thought I would give it a try.
I’m glad I did. It was really lovely. A good texture and just the right amount of flavor. It is great toasted with some salty butter or a spoonful of apple butter. It is the second recipe I have tried from the cookbook and both have worked so well.
SAVE THE DATE: Something crazy will be happening on Lottie + Doof beginning December 1st- something crazy awesome! Be sure to stop by and see what I have in the works…let’s just say it has the potential to make us all very, very happy— and fat. xoxo
Pumpkin Spice Bread (recipe by Karen DeMasco)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1/2 cup grapeseed oil
- 3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sour cream
- 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of ground cloves
- 1 tablespoon Demerara sugar
Preheat oven to 350° F. Line the bottom of a 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan with parchment, and grease the bottom and sides with butter.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg, egg yolk, and oil. Add the pumpkin, sour cream, and vanilla and whisk well to combine. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves. Using a rubber spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the wet. Then whisk together gently just to combine.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the top with the Demerara sugar.
Bake until the bread is firm to the touch, well browned, and slightly cracked on top, about 55 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let stand for 5 minutes. Turn out the loaf onto rack and let cool.
November 23rd, 2009 at 12:27 pm
I just bought this cookbook (irresistible!) so very excited to see one of the recipes. I do love pumpkin, so must give this one a go. And very much looking forward to seeing what’s in store for December 1st!
November 23rd, 2009 at 1:11 pm
Ah, you are so good to me. ;P
November 23rd, 2009 at 1:29 pm
Fat & Happy – my favorite way to be. ;) See you 12/1!
November 23rd, 2009 at 6:58 pm
We’re a little over the pumpkin fever now, but it’s good in lots of food. Bread especially.
November 23rd, 2009 at 9:45 pm
I just picked up that book and this has inspired to actually start reading it. Thanks for the nudge….
November 23rd, 2009 at 10:40 pm
I’m with your on the pumpkins. I love carving them, buying cute tiny ones, but I don’t crave the flavor. No pumpkin spice lattes for me!
November 24th, 2009 at 6:54 am
I made this last night and I’m eating it for breakfast now. Thanks for the recipe, it’s the best pumpkin bread I’ve ever had.
November 24th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
Yeah – I have to disagree with ya here partner. I love everything there is to love about pumpkin and winter squash in general! So to me, that slab of bread looks fan-freakin’-tastic. In fact, I made a pumpkin cranberry loaf just recently for thanksgiving snacks. yummmmm…..
November 24th, 2009 at 10:51 pm
This bread looks delicious – thanks for sharing, I can’t wait to try it out! I’m also loving The Craft of Baking, it’s quickly becoming a favorite.
November 25th, 2009 at 11:25 am
Oh, heavens to Betsy, this looks delicious. I’m not sure who’s having Thanksgiving at your house this year, but I know they’ll be leaving happy. I can’t wait to see the surprise on Dec. 1. Have a wonderful holiday. Love, Josh
November 25th, 2009 at 1:38 pm
Happy Thanksgiving, Josh! xoxo
November 25th, 2009 at 1:57 pm
Those moist breads can turn even the most uninspiring fruit/vegetable ingredients into something rather marvelous.
November 26th, 2009 at 3:46 pm
I’ll have to give this a try. I also recommend Maida Heatter’s Pumpkin Gingerbread. Happy Thanksgiving!
November 30th, 2009 at 2:16 pm
I tried this recipe yesterday and it is excellent! Very nice level of moistness, flavor and spice. I think this will be my new #1 recipe for pumpkin bread! Thanks for sharing. Will have to take a gander at the cookbook this came from.
December 7th, 2009 at 10:47 am
Can I use anything instead of the grapeseed oil?
December 7th, 2009 at 10:50 am
I haven’t tried the recipe with anything else, but I am sure canola oil would work just fine.
December 14th, 2009 at 7:27 am
I just made this bread and it didn’t turn out quite right. Unfortunately, because I live in Turkey, I had to make three substitutions: I used corn oil instead of grapeseed, used fresh pumpkin puree instead of canned and had to use full-fat yogurt instead of sour cream. When I baked the bread, it puffed up nice and golden just like the pictures, but about 5 minutes out of the oven, deflated and caved in. When I sliced it, I realized the inside was mushy and wet!
Is this because I used fresh pumpkin puree instead of canned (maybe there was too much water in it? Or yogurt instead of sour cream? (The yogurt I used is Greek style). Or corn oil instead of grapeseed? I know, I know, so many substitutions! That’s the problem with living in Turkey sometimes; I can’t find the right ingredients! What went wrong?
December 14th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
Hi Barbara, I don’t know what went wrong. Of the substitutions, the pumpkin seems most likely to cause problems. It is also possible you just didn’t bake it for long enough. Maybe next time you can try testing with a toothpick to see if the inside is cooked. Unfortunately, it is hard for me to diagnose the problem with so many substitutions. Sorry it disappointed you!