Title: The Pumpkin Bread You'll Crave
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup olive oil extra virgin or any other kind
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1 good baking apple such as cortland or northern spy grated (you should have 1 cup grated apple)
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
- Carbohydrate 227.901662711062 g
- Cholesterol 254.64166666501 mg
- Fat 132.171871717693 g
- Fiber 40.8685023348236 g
- Protein 48.8410457247847 g
- Saturated Fat 62.5075743973569 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (1037g)
- Sodium 57314.599237005 mg
- Sugar 187.033160376239 g
- Trans Fat 10.7863037833768 g
- Calories 2214 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch loaf pan whatever way you please (I use Pam baking spray).
- Whisk together the sugar and oil until blended, then add the eggs and pumpkin. Lay out two paper towels, stacked on top of one another. Lay the grated apples over the paper towels. Roll up the paper towels into a log and squeeze gently to remove excess juices from the apples. Add the grated apples to the pumpkin mixture and mix to combine.
- In another bowl, stir together the flours, spices, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Add the pumpkin mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Mix in the walnuts and let batter rest for 15 to 20 minutes.
- When ready to bake, pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake until the loaf is very dark and a tester inserted deep into the middle comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool in pan for ten minutes, then turn onto rack to cool completely.
Unlike a quick-mixing muffin batter that relies purely on chemical leavening and heavy sugar loads for structure, this spiced loaf incorporates grated baking apple and pumpkin puree. Managing the moisture content from these two produce items requires specific technique so the crumb stays tender without becoming dense or soggy. Follow these steps for reliable results.
- Squeeze the grated apple firmly inside paper towels before incorporating it into the wet ingredients to prevent excess fruit juice from diluting the pumpkin flavor and throwing off the flour ratio.
- Let the finished batter rest in the bowl for 15 to 20 minutes before transferring it to the loaf pan to allow the whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour time to fully hydrate.
- Bake the loaf at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until a skewer inserted deep into the center emerges clean, which takes approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes.
- Allow the loaf to cool inside the pan for precisely ten minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
Slices stored in an airtight container at room temperature taste even better on the second day as the cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg fully permeate the crumb. Leftovers maintain their structural integrity for up to four days when kept sealed.
