Pumpkin Bread with Salted Maple Butter...

Let's play true confessions...I'll go first...my house is already decorated for Christmas.  Has been for a week now.  Why yes, it's a bit early but the boy was here and he said he had time to help get out Christmas stuff and he wouldn't have time again until the week after Thanksgiving...and by then why bother?!?  So he got to work - bin after bin was carried in to its assigned room - Alexa played Christmas music for us and one by one I opened those bins and greeted my beloved decorations. It was all fun and giggles until the mister came home.  His bombastic voice rang out as he walked in the door, "Christmas crap already?!?"  When he turned the corner to go upstairs he was startled by Santa - as in he jumped a foot and his arm flew up in a Karate-chop (we've already established he doesn't know Karate) so the boy and I burst out laughing - we do love it when the mister gives us a reaction and we decided next year we might even put Christmas up before Halloween! Think how many Karate chops we could get then?!?  The mister has grumbled daily about the Christmas stuff, so everything is perking along just like always. 

But not to fear, we haven't bypassed Thanksgiving altogether!  I'm still trying new recipes, deciding which ones will make the cut this year, and this Pumpkin Bread has gone to the front of the line!  It's got it all going on...pumpkin seeds that get toasted while baking are on top for a nice little crunch, lightly spiced bread that tastes like every good thing this season has to offer, and then there's the salted maple butter...yep, it's got it all!

You can grate your own ginger so it's super fresh, or you can take the easy way and use the jar stuff - in this recipe it won't matter.  I buy my pumpkin seeds, or as they say south of the border, pepitas, at Trader Joe's or World Market.  Trader Joe's sells Spiced Pumpkin Seeds along with raw pepitas, and if you can find the spiced ones, use 'em!   

I doubled the recipe and made two loaves - it's always nice to have one to share and one to keep - although you might not want to give one away - it's that good.

Pumpkin Bread with Salted Maple Butter - Adapted From Bon Appetit

For the Bread:

nonstick vegetable oil spray

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

2 large eggs

1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin puree

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger (from about one 3-inch piece of fresh ginger)

1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3/4 raw pumpkin seeds

For the Salted Maple Butter:

1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) butter, room temperature

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

3/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt, plus more for serving

 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Lightly coat a 9x5 loaf pan with nonstick spray.  Line bottom of pan with parchment, leaving a generous overhang on both long sides.  Whisk flour, cinnamon, kosher salt, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and cloves in a medium bowl.  Whisk eggs, pumpkin puree, ginger, and 1 1/2 cups sugar in a large bowl or in the bowl of your electric mixer.  Stream in oil, whisking constantly until mixture is thoroughly combined.  Gently fold half of the dry ingredients into egg mixture until no dry spots remain.  Repeat with remaining dry ingredients, stirring to combine but being careful not to over-mix.

 

Transfer batter to prepared pan; smooth top with a spatula.  Scatter pumpkin seeds over batter, pressing lightly to adhere.  Sprinkle seeds with remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar.  Bake bread, rotating pan once halfway through, until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 80 to 90 minutes.  Let cool slightly, then run a knife around pan to help loosen bread.  Using parchment overhang, transfer bread to a wire rack and let cool.  Bread can be baked 4 days ahead, cover tightly with plastic wrap and keep at room temperature. 

 

Maple Butter:  Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter in a large bowl, scraping down sides until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.  Add maple syrup and 3/4 teaspoon sea salt and beat, scraping down sides of bowl once more, just until incorporated.  Transfer maple butter to a small bowl, season with more sea salt, if desired.  Maple butter can be made 5 days ahead.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill.  Let come to room temperature before using.

 

Recipe makes one loaf of bread.

If you have a momentary lapse of judgment and decide not to make the bread - at least make the maple butter!!  It's great on plain toast, scones, biscuits, muffins, licked from the spoon...your T-Day breakfast demands you serve this in some way, and so do I!

This is a no-fail recipe.  I've made three batches of this already and each time the loaves bake up beautifully - c'mon kids, give this one a try!