Sweeping leaves and changing fall colors whisper…
Pumpkin bread.
Well alright!
There’s nothing like the perfect piece of bread. With years in the making, we hope you enjoy our Hazelnut Raisin Pumpkin Bread. This loaf is moist but not greasy and has just enough sugar and spice. The grains, nuts, pumpkin, and raisins make a bread that’s nutritious and hearty, yet delicate. If an aversion to any add ins, they can be swapped or left and the bread remains a stunner.
Pumpkin Love
Pumpkin bread comes together with ease, but there are choices when it comes to ingredients.
Flour: All purpose can of course be used, but may I suggest a mix of white whole wheat and whole wheat pastry. The combination makes for an unbelievable tasting, satiating, and healthier option. This earthy, yet delicate bread makes heads swivel in delight.
Sugar: Dark brown sugar is complex, adding a molasses, caramel, or toffee taste. Our desserts straddle just sweet enough, so please taste the batter and add more, if needed.
Nuts: Hazelnuts are a favorite in this bread, but walnuts and pecans are amazing too! If you prefer none, I understand. If using hazelnuts, they usually require the extra step of skinning. I’ll leave it to Julia Child to lift the moment. If you prefer toasted and skinned, this video is key.
Raisins: Are you for or against these sweet, but humiliated grapes? I’m all in, all ways. Plumping raisins returns their soul. If time allows, soak them in hot water for ten to fifteen minutes, then dry well on a dish or paper towel before adding to baked goods.
Loaf Pan: I prefer a full size loaf, so walked the “holy heck is it going to overflow line.” This bread passed a number of times, so can be made in an 8X4 pan. The batter looks full in that pan and rises above the rim, but doesn’t overflow. A 9X5 makes a lower profile loaf, which has a beauty of its own.
How do you like your pumpkin bread?
Warmed with cream cheese.
With butter.
Just the way it is. Me too.
Hazelnut Raisin Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients:
- 2 cups flour (used 1 cup white whole wheat and 1 cup whole wheat pastry)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder (sea level = 1½ teaspoon)
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground clove
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅓ cup hazelnuts, chopped - walnuts or pecans
- ⅓ cup raisins - optional
- 2 Tablespoons oil (neutral)
- 2 eggs, large room temperature
- 1 cup canned pumpkin - avoid pumpkin pie mix
- ½ cup sugar - coconut sugar
- ⅓ cup dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup + 1 Tablespoon unsweetened applesauce
- 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract (sea level = 1 teaspoon)
Garnish
- coarse chopped hazelnuts and pumpkin seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F
- Line an 8X4 or 9X5 loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Whisk together flour(s), baking powder and soda, spices, salt, nuts and raisins. Set aside.
- Combine all wet ingredients until just mixed.
- Add the dry mixture to the wet and stir until mixed well.
- Taste the batter. Is it to your liking? If not, add more sugar or spice, then pour into the prepared pan. On a folded dishtowel, tap the loaf pan down a couple times to distribute the batter evenly. If you want a design, swirl a knife or offset spatula back and forth across the batter, then sprinkle with chopped nuts and pumpkin seeds.
- Bake on the center rack for 50 - 55 minutes.Begin checking five minutes prior to the earliest finish time. Bake until the bread's just set and a toothpick comes out with very few crumbs or clean. It's better for the bread to be underdone and able to continue baking on the counter, than overdone.
- Remove pan from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes, then transfer the bread to a wire rack. Enjoy warm or cooled. This bread is perfect on its own, but really good with butter or cream cheese too.
Notes
- For help skinning hazelnuts, a video with Julia Child.
- I prefer a full size loaf, so walked the "holy heck is it going to overflow" line. This bread passed, so can be made in an 8X4 pan. The batter looks full in that pan and rises above the rim, but doesn't overflow. A 9X5 makes a low profile loaf, which has a beauty of its own.
- If omitting raisins and nuts, lessen the bake time by about five minutes.
- This bread has "just enough" sugar. For a sweeter loaf, increase the sugar to your liking.
- To prevent the nuts and raisins from sinking, add to the flour mix before the wet ingredients.
- For crunchy on the out and soft on the in, leave bread on a rack loose tented with foil. For soft inside and out, store airtight.
