Pumpkin Bran Bread

Today the whole house was filled with the smell of warm spices, a perfect counterpoint to the cold temperatures outside.  While many kitchens will be combining pumpkin with cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice to make pies this time of year, I used those ingredients to create a pumpkin bran bread filled with nuts and dried fruit. 

When November rolls around, towers of canned pumpkin appear in the grocery store aisles. This recipe turns pumpkin puree into a delicious and comforting loaf.  It’s the perfect bread to make ahead of time to have on hand as folks gather for Thanksgiving celebrations.

I found this recipe in a March 1994 issue of Bon Appétit and ever since, it has had a place in our breakfast bread pantheon. I remember making it before the kids came home from college so that they could have a warm, homey snack right when they arrived.  

Changes to the recipe

The original recipe, submitted by Beth Harrison of Charleston, South Carolina, used 3 cups of white sugar, which I found too sweet. Over the years I experimented with it until I had reduced the sugar to just one cup. I also decided that a blend of white and dark brown sugar added just a hint of molasses that worked well with the pumpkin, bran, and spices.  

Harrison suggested adding the buttermilk and oil after combining the dry ingredients with the pumpkin, eggs, and sugar; I changed that approach to keep all wet ingredients together and allow the bran cereal to soak in this mixture before adding it to the dry ingredients.  This method keeps the loaves from toughening up due to over-beating. It also ensures that the oil is well combined within the wet ingredients and helps the softened bran to be evenly distributed into the batter.

Buttermilk keeps the loaves moist and reduces the amount of oil required for the bread to have a soft crumb.  I added golden raisins and chopped walnuts to make the loaves more festive.  

A time saver

Because this bread can be made ahead of time and frozen for up to a month, it works well for holiday entertaining (or camping trips or just making the weekdays easier).  We can eat one loaf now and have another on hand when friends arrive to ring in the holidays with us.  

Pumpkin Bran Bread

Sunnyside Cook

Dawn Dobie

Moist and fragrant pumpkin bread filled with dried fruit and nuts

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 50 minutes mins

Servings 16 slices

Ingredients

  

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 2 cups canned solid pack pumpkin
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups shredded bran cereal (such as All-Bran)
• 1 cup golden or regular raisins
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Butter two 9x5x3-inch loaf pans. Coat pans with flour, tapping out excess.
• Combine first 7 ingredients in medium bowl; stir to blend well.
• Whisk eggs in a large bowl. Add sugars and buttermilk, mixing well. Add pumpkin puree and oil; whisk until blended.
• Add bran cereal to pumpkin mixture, stirring well to combine and allow to soak for 15 minutes.
• Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture; stir to combine. Fold in nuts and raisins.
• Divide batter evenly between prepared pans.
• Bake until tester inserted into center of each loaf comes out clean, about 1 hour 20 minutes.
• Allow loaves to cool in pans for 10 minutes. Use a knife along pan sides to loosen loaves, if necessary.
• Turn out loaves onto racks and allow to cool completely.

Notes

The loaves can be made ahead. After the bread is cooled completely, wrap tightly in foil and store in sealable plastic bag at room temperature 1 day or freeze up to 1 month.

To make muffins from batter, spray muffin tins with non-stick spray.  Scoop batter into muffin cups, filling 3/4 full.  Sprinkle the batter lightly with Turbinado or other coarse raw sugar (optional).  Bake at 375 degrees F for 18-20 minutes, checking with toothpick to see if done (only a few crumbs should adhere to toothpick). Remove from oven and allow to cool in pans for 5 minutes. Move to cooling rack and bring to room temperature. Makes about 24 muffins.  These can be cooled and frozen, too.

Adapted from Beth Harrison in Bon Appétit (March 1994)