ATK Pumpkin Bread
We were "test cooks" for Cook's Illustrated for what seems to have been the final version of this recipe, which was printed in September 2012.
Makes 2 loaves
Note from Jeanne: Definitely add walnuts to the batter and to the topping.
Note from Liz: Jeanne doubled the topping for her most recent batch. Yum! (Amounts in parentheses are for doubling the topping)
Be sure the cream cheese is relatively fresh, otherwise it may not melt quickly or combine well.
The test kitchen's preferred loaf pan measures 8-1/2 by 4-1/2 inches; if using a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan, start checking for doneness 5 minutes earlier than advised in the recipe. If desired, up to 1 cup of chocolate chips or currants can be folded into the batter along with the walnuts and crystallized ginger.
Topping
5 packed tablespoons light brown sugar (1/2 cup plus 2 Tbl)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (2 Tbl)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened (2 Tbl)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (2 tsp)
1/8 teaspoon salt (1/4 tsp)
(optional) toasted walnuts
Bread
2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar
1 cup packed (7 ounces) light brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 ounces cream cheese, cut into 12 pieces
¼ cup buttermilk
4 large eggs
(optional) 1 cup walnuts--toasted and chopped fine
1. For the Topping: Using fingers, mix all ingredients in bowl until well combined and resembles wet sand; set aside while preparing bread.
2. For the Bread: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8 1/2 by 4 1/2-inch loaf pans. Whisk flour, baking powder, and baking soda together in bowl.
3. Combine pumpkin puree, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in large saucepan over medium heat. Cook mixture, stirring constantly, until reduced to 1 ½ cups, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove pot from heat, stir in cream cheese, sugars, and oil until combined. (Jeanne adds cream cheese just before batter comes off of heat; she doesn't stir stuff in until after 5 min; and she covers the pot.) Let mixture stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until no visible pieces of cream cheese remain and mixture is homogeneous.
4. Whisk together eggs and buttermilk. Add egg mixture to pumpkin mixture and whisk to combine. Fold flour mixture into pumpkin mixture until combined (some small lumps of flour are okay). Fold walnuts in if using. Scrape batter into prepared pans. Sprinkle topping evenly over top of each loaf. Bake until skewer inserted into center of loaf comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool breads in pan on wire rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan and let cool at least 1 ½ hours. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition information for JUST THE PUMPKIN BREAD without the topping.
Makes 2 loaves
Note from Jeanne: Definitely add walnuts to the batter and to the topping.
Note from Liz: Jeanne doubled the topping for her most recent batch. Yum! (Amounts in parentheses are for doubling the topping)
Be sure the cream cheese is relatively fresh, otherwise it may not melt quickly or combine well.
The test kitchen's preferred loaf pan measures 8-1/2 by 4-1/2 inches; if using a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan, start checking for doneness 5 minutes earlier than advised in the recipe. If desired, up to 1 cup of chocolate chips or currants can be folded into the batter along with the walnuts and crystallized ginger.
Topping
5 packed tablespoons light brown sugar (1/2 cup plus 2 Tbl)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (2 Tbl)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened (2 Tbl)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (2 tsp)
1/8 teaspoon salt (1/4 tsp)
(optional) toasted walnuts
Bread
2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar
1 cup packed (7 ounces) light brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 ounces cream cheese, cut into 12 pieces
¼ cup buttermilk
4 large eggs
(optional) 1 cup walnuts--toasted and chopped fine
1. For the Topping: Using fingers, mix all ingredients in bowl until well combined and resembles wet sand; set aside while preparing bread.
2. For the Bread: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8 1/2 by 4 1/2-inch loaf pans. Whisk flour, baking powder, and baking soda together in bowl.
3. Combine pumpkin puree, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in large saucepan over medium heat. Cook mixture, stirring constantly, until reduced to 1 ½ cups, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove pot from heat, stir in cream cheese, sugars, and oil until combined. (Jeanne adds cream cheese just before batter comes off of heat; she doesn't stir stuff in until after 5 min; and she covers the pot.) Let mixture stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until no visible pieces of cream cheese remain and mixture is homogeneous.
4. Whisk together eggs and buttermilk. Add egg mixture to pumpkin mixture and whisk to combine. Fold flour mixture into pumpkin mixture until combined (some small lumps of flour are okay). Fold walnuts in if using. Scrape batter into prepared pans. Sprinkle topping evenly over top of each loaf. Bake until skewer inserted into center of loaf comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool breads in pan on wire rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan and let cool at least 1 ½ hours. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition information for JUST THE PUMPKIN BREAD without the topping.
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