Description
This Maple Pumpkin Bread is a moist and tender loaf infused with the rich flavors of maple syrup and brown butter, complemented perfectly by a luscious cinnamon butter spread. Ideal for cozy autumn mornings or festive gatherings, this bread offers a delightful balance of sweetness and spice with a subtle hint of pumpkin earthiness.
Ingredients
Maple Pumpkin Bread
- 1 stick (¼ lb) unsalted butter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 (15 oz) can pure pumpkin puree
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- cinnamon butter (recipe below)
- warm maple syrup, for drizzling (optional)
- flaky sea salt
Cinnamon Butter
- 2 sticks (½ lb) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Prepare the loaf pan: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease a 10x5x3 inch loaf pan with butter, then line it with parchment paper, allowing the paper to overhang by about 2 inches for easy bread removal later.
- Brown the butter: Place the butter in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Let it melt and then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook the butter for about 6 minutes, swirling frequently until it turns a deep golden brown with dark brown speckles, indicating it's browned. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt until evenly combined.
- Prepare wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, add the sugar then whisk in the cooled brown butter until smooth. Crack the eggs into this mixture and beat until well incorporated. Next, whisk in the pumpkin puree, sour cream, maple syrup, and vanilla extract one at a time, ensuring the batter is smooth after each addition.
- Combine mixtures: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients in batches, whisking continuously until the batter is fully combined and smooth without any lumps.
- Bake the bread: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and place it on the middle rack of the preheated oven. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a small knife inserted into the center comes out just barely dry but still moist inside. If the top browns too quickly, you may tent it loosely with foil partway through baking.
- Cool the bread: Remove the bread from the oven and cover it loosely with foil. Let it sit in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, use the parchment paper overhang to gently lift the bread out of the pan. Allow it to cool further before slicing.
- Make cinnamon butter: Combine softened butter, maple syrup, ground cinnamon, and kosher salt in a food processor or mixing bowl. Blend or whisk thoroughly until fully incorporated and smooth, scraping the sides as needed.
- Serve: Slice the pumpkin bread and spread cinnamon butter on top. Optionally, drizzle with warm maple syrup and sprinkle with flaky sea salt for an extra flavor boost.
Notes
- To Serve: Enjoy the pumpkin bread warm straight from the oven, at room temperature, or gently warmed in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.
- To Store: Wrap cooled bread tightly in plastic wrap and keep at room temperature for 3-4 days. Store cinnamon butter in an airtight container in the refrigerator and soften at room temperature before serving.
- To Soften Butter: Leave butter at room temperature for a couple of hours until soft to the touch, adjusting time depending on room temperature.