Some of you live in parts of the world that are far away from here, parts where seasons behave as seasons should and, oh I dunno, change occasionally. Not I. I live in Oklahoma, where the old people joke that there are four seasons — early summer, summer, late summer, Christmas — plus a weird half- early-summer-half-summer time we call tornado season. But today it’s definitely Fall.
My car told me at 11:00 that it was 46 degrees outside. I wasn’t brave enough to look at it when I was taking the kid to school, but I’m pretty sure it was colder than in the morning. So when we got home we made pumpkin bread. This is the second time in a week that I’ve made some kind of bread, and I don’t know that I’ll be getting tired of it anytime soon. Anyway, I wanted to post this recipe here because I adapted it pretty heavily and I’ve had a few people ask for it. The picture is stolen from the original recipe, which looks sorta like what I made, minus the glow of awesomeness that surrounds food I make.
Pumpkin-Walnut-Raisin-Apple Bread
(makes 2 loaves)
(adapted from this recipe at allrecipes.com)
1 -15 oz. can pumpkin puree 1 C unsweetened applesauce
1 C white sugar
1/2 C light brown sugar
2 eggs plus 1 egg white
2 1/2 C all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground ginger1 small or 1/2 large apple, peeled and diced into tiny cubes (I used a Braeburn) 1/4 to 1/2 C each walnuts and raisins
FULL DISCLOSURE: I put a full cup of grated zucchini in the first batch and no one even noticed. Except for me, of course. Both loaves disappeared in a few hours so I’m thinking that’s a winning suggestion, since you’re open to taking them.
Preheat oven to 350F. Spray 2 loaf pans with nonstick spray, or grease/flour them if you’re old-school.
Mix pumpkin, applesauce, sugars, and eggs until slightly foamy and lightened in color.
In another bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger.
Add dry to wet, mix until well-blended, scraping sides and bottom of bowl.
Add chopped apples, walnuts and raisins.
Top with streusel topping mixture (below).
Divide batter between pans and bake 45-60 minutes. Streusel will be crisp and bread will spring back when you press on the top.
Streusel topping:
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour 2 Tbsp light brown sugar 1 Tbsp white sugar1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 2 Tbsp cold butter
Mix flour, sugars, and cinnamon in a small bowl.
Cut butter in with a pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs (which is the standard way of saying “until it’s done.”)
Divide evenly to cover the batter in both pans.
If none of that–eaten hot from the oven with a chai latte–incites your jealousy, I also made turkey today.
I’ve saved this recipe like I’ll actually use it. But, maybe I’ll give it to my mom or sisters and they can make me a loaf…