November 2, 2012

Pumpkin Bread



I've discovered that the only way I can (sometimes) make it through a day of work is to take a Starbucks break at noon.

Upon returning from the crack dealership Starbucks, I usually peruse slate.com or people.com until the children return from recess.

I found this recipe through slate.com for Pumpkin Beer Bread last week.  I love beer bread.  Scott and I, for Christmas a couple of years ago, ate a loaf of beer bread and some spinach dip.  It's like our own special little gluttonous tradition.

So when I saw this recipe, I wanted to try it.
I printed it.  I followed it.  I even made some notes because I wanted to share it.



It was not good, and I do not recommend it.

I mean, the flavor was okay, but the outside was super crusty and the inside was kind of gummy, even after almost an hour and a half in the oven.

So the next day, I went back to Espresso and Cream and tried Madison's recipe.  This was the recipe I had intended on doing in the first place.  I made a few changes to the original.
For example, I'm too unorganized to remember to buy applesauce.  So I substituted APPLE BUTTER.  This lady had inspired me to buy apple butter, so I figured, why not?

I did not measure my pumpkin pie spice.  The world didn't end, but...

...now that I think of it, perhaps my refusal to measure was why the Pumpkin Beer Bread didn't work out....




Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bread
adapted from this recipe

2 T. melted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar (I cut the sugar down because my substitution of apple butter packs some sweetness.)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup apple butter
2 eggs
3/4 cup pumpkin puree

Mix in a large bowl with an electric mixer until well-combined.

1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup white flour
1/2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1-2 t. pumpkin pie spice (I used almost 2 t.)

Mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl and then add to the wet ingredients in small batches until all is incorporated.
Grease a 9x5 loaf pan, pour it in, and bake at 350* for 45-60 minutes.  Mine took 50 minutes in a gas oven with a stoneware loaf pan.  If I were to make it again, I'll probably use a metal pan.

8 comments:

  1. yum! apple butter -that sounds really good! wish i was eating a piece this morning!!

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  2. That second bread sounds delicious. I love when bloggers share things that didn't quite work out right. That tends to happen to me a lot with google-searched recipes or pinterest posts.

    Not sure if you like cranberries, but I hope to be posting a reeeeally good recipe for cranberry bread soon :)

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  3. I think one of my favorite things about fall is all the awesome quick breads you can make. Pumpkin chocolate chip is my favorite...cranberry walnut...gingerbread...and I saw a really good recipe the other day for a pear ginger bread that I really want to make!

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  4. We've had this discussion before. I'm afraid not to measure. Pioneer Woman doesn't measure exactly, and her food always comes out great on the show. So I need to get over it. lol

    We celebrated a student's birthday the other day and he brought in pumpkin cookies. They were wonderful. Your bread sounds good, too! :)

    Oh, and I LOVE apple butter!

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  5. Was it good with the apple butter??? I need to try that! LOVE pumpkin bread...

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  6. I hate when a recipe doesn't turn out delicious!!

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