Sweet Pumpkin Spice Bread

It’s October which means pumpkin spice season has arrived. I like a few pumpkin spice things, but I know some people who are completely obsessed. They go gaga for everything pumpkin spice. Whether you fall into that obsessed category or not, you’ll love this simple quick bread. And feel free to use canned pumpkin puree (not canned pie filling), which is often less fibrous than fresh pumpkin puree.

Note: If you’d like to try making your own pumpkin puree, pick up a sugar pumpkin from your local farmer’s market. Cut it in half and scoop out the seeds, place it cut side down on a rimmed, oiled half sheet pan, piercing the halves in several places with a sharp knife. Bake in a 400F oven for about 30 minutes, or until the flesh is soft and can easily be scooped out. Cool completely, then puree in a food processor or blender until smooth (you can skip this step if your pumpkin isn’t too fibrous).

Start by preheating the oven to 350F and place the oven rack in the lower middle positions. Prepare your pan by spraying with Baker’s Joy; set aside until needed.

In a mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin, applesauce, sugar, and eggs.

Whisk to combine.

In another mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Whisk well to combine.

Pour the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture and mix well with a rubber or silicone spatula.

No traces of dry ingredients should remain.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake as directed below.

Cool completely before serving. Enjoy!

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• 8x4-inch professional loaf pan https://amzn.to/2QomBF2

• Baker’s Joy https://amzn.to/2IxCkiv

• flat whisk https://amzn.to/2QoorFM

• serrated bread knife https://amzn.to/2OuEULj

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PUMPKIN SPICE BREAD

makes one 8x4-inch loaf (1 pound)

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup pumpkin puree (fresh or canned)

• 4 ounces applesauce

• 1 1/3 cup granulated sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg (or double if using dried)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F, coat a 8x4-inch metal loaf pan with Baker’s Joy spray, and place oven rack in lower center position.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, applesauce, sugar, and eggs; set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cloves, and cinnamon.

4. Pour pumpkin mixture into flour mixture and whisk until no dry lumps remain.

5. Spread batter evenly in prepared loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted in the center (and all the way down to the bottom of the pan) comes out clean.

6. Remove bread from oven and rest for 10-15 minutes before unmolding.

7. Allow bread to cool completely on a rack before slicing.

Notes

• To make pumpkin puree, preheat oven to 400F. Cut pumpkin in half, scoop out and remove seeds. Place halves, cut side down, on an oiled half sheet pan. Pierce skin with knife in several places. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the outer skin softens and gives under pressure. When cool enough to handle, scoop flesh and use a food processor or blender to puree (you can skip this step if your squash doesn't have a stringy texture).

• Freeze leftover pureed pumpkin in 1-cup portions so you can bake a fresh loaf whenever the mood strikes.

• This bread freezes beautifully when vacuum sealed or wrapped well in plastic followed by heavy-duty foil, being sure to seal very well. Thaw overnight in the fridge before unwrapping.

Mini Pumpkin Spice Donuts with Vanilla Bean Glaze

Happy first day of Fall.  Here in Virginia, the weather has begun to turn chilly and I can't wait to start making all my favorite cold weather foods, beginning with these delicious Mini Pumpkin Spice Donuts with Vanilla Bean Glaze.  They're such a fun way to celebrate the change of season.  

I've baked mini donuts in pans like this, but I find I get much better results using an electric donut maker like this.  There really isn't anything wrong with donut pans that go in the oven, but the donuts they produce usually have one flat side, whereas the ones baked in the donut maker are domed on both sides. Also, you can crank out batch after batch pretty quickly.   

To prepare the donut maker, I use a silicone pastry brush to coat the indentations with a little vegetable oil or shortening.  The electric donut maker has a non-stick finish, but brushing with a little oil helps make donut removal a little easier.

The ingredients are mixed together easily.  No special techniques here, but I love using my BeaterBlade attachment so I don't have to stop to scrape down the sides of my mixer bowl.  If you don't have a BeaterBlade, you can use a standard flat beater, or feel free to mix everything together using a hand mixer if you don't own a stand mixer. 

To neatly dispense the batter into the donut indentations, I like to use a large disposable pastry bag.  It helps me fill the indentations quickly and easily.  Really cuts down on the mess too.  

No piping tip necessary, I just cut a small opening at the end of the bag.

I evenly pipe the batter, filling the indentations to the rim.  

Then I close the donut maker and wait 4-5 minutes until the mini donuts spring back when pressed slightly.   

Open the donut maker up and suddenly I have one dozen of the most perfectly shaped, evenly domed mini donuts.  Aren't they adorable? 

The mini donuts are removed from the donut maker and placed on a cooling rack to cool completely before glazing. 

Time to make the vanilla bean glaze.  Vanilla bean paste is full of those tiny little black vanilla bean seeds that look so nice on baked goods.  If you don't have vanilla bean paste, you can substitute pure vanilla extract.  Be sure to use the good stuff! 

Whisk together the glaze ingredients until smooth - it should be about this thick to coat the donuts nicely.  If needed, add more confectioners sugar or half & half to adjust the consistency.  As soon as the glaze is ready, start dipping the donuts.

Dip the top half of the cooled donuts in the glaze and place them back onto the rack to rest for about 30 minutes so the glaze can set up. 

That's all there is to it.  Hope you give these tasty mini donuts a try.  Happy fall! 

Mini Pumpkin Spice Donuts with Vanilla Bean Glaze

makes 24 mini donuts

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

FOR THE DONUTS:

• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

• 1 large egg

• 3/4 cup 100% pure pumpkin puree

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1/2 cup whole milk

• 1/4 cup canola oil

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

FOR THE GLAZE:

• 1 cup confectioners sugar

• 1 tablespoon half and half

• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla bean paste (or pure vanilla extract)

Directions

To make the donuts:

1. Preheat electric donut maker and brush indentations with vegetable oil or shortening.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt.

3. Add remaining ingredients and mix until combined using BeaterBlade attachment (or mix with a hand mixer).

4. Using a large pastry bag, fill bottom half of the prepared donut maker, filling each indentation to the rim.

5. Close donut maker and bake for 4-5 minutes (use a toothpick to check for doneness - the should spring back when pressed lightly).

6. Carefully remove mini donuts from maker and cool completely on wire rack before glazing.

To make the glaze:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners sugar, half and half, and vanilla bean paste until smooth.

2. Dip tops of cooled mini donuts in glaze immediately; allow glaze to dry for 30 minutes.

Note

• To use mini donut pans, preheat oven to 350F. Bake for 8-12 minutes until done.