Pumpkin Bread

Some time ago, I posted a recipe for courgette (zucchini) bread, inspired by a particularly successful loaf of pumpkin bread that Mike V. and I baked in Tanzania. And I'm sure everybody has been wondering...but what about that pumpkin bread?

Well, at long last, here is a fantastic pumpkin bread recipe, adapted from an article by Christopher Kimball, the editor of Cook's Illustrated. I recommend using fresh pumpkin, the preparation of which I described on my pumpkin pie recipe.



Pumpkin Bread with Fresh Pumpkin

Makes 1 9x5 inch loaf

1 pie-appropriate pumpkin, roasted (or 1 15 oz can of Libby's pumpkin)
2 cups (10 oz) unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp fresh-grated (or ground) ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1 cup (6.5 oz) granulated white sugar
8 Tbs (1 stick) unsalted butter, browned and cooled (see here)
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease the loaf pan with butter, line the bottom with parchment paper, and grease the parchment paper. Dust with all purpose flour.

Line a baking sheet with 3 layers of paper towels. Spread the pumpkin (fresh and baked as from here, or canned) on the paper towels, and lay another 3 layers on top. Press gently and evenly all around until the paper towels are saturated. Peel off top towels, and transfer pumpkin to medium bowl, and toss the towels.

Put dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices) in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Put wet ingredients (pumpkin, sugar, browned butter, eggs, and vanilla) in bowl and whisk until smooth. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, and fold together with spatula until just combined. Transfer to greased loaf pan and bake until the top is brown and a toothpick comes out clean, around 55 minutes. Cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes, remove from pan, and cool on rack.