PUMPKIN OLIVE OIL BREAD

Each year as I’m enjoying the late August harvest of all things squash, my mind meanders forward to seasonal baked confections and the warming fall flavors of cinnamon, cloves, . . . and yes, Pumpkin! It seems to always be a favorite reminiscence of autumn, but equally satisfies our cravings throughout the year. (There’s a reason pumpkin bread is a permanent menu item at Starbucks!)

This particular pumpkin bread recipe is one I’ve used for years. It has gone through many iterations being tried and tested with different ingredients, (like flaxseed, maple syrup, honey, and agave), as well as various combinations of oils, (walnut oil, pumpkin oil, olive oil), flours, (gluten-free, oat, whole wheat), and varying quantities of spices. This particular medley scored “one of the best” on Clay’s approval ratings, and therefore earned its place on these pages.

I love using olive oil in my pumpkin bread, as I think it keeps it moist and provides a rich depth of flavor—plus it’s very healthy! The spice mixture also blurs the boundaries between being a classic pumpkin bread and a gingerbread, (I can never really decide which I like more, so why not have both). I’ll let you decide your category preference, however one is certain, “delicious”!

Pumpkin Olive Oil Bread

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Course Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 12 -16

Ingredients

  

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Dry Ingredients

• 3 1/2 Cups Flour All Purpose or Gluten Free
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1 Cup Brown Sugar Light or Dark, packed down into measuring cup
• 2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
• 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• 3/4 Teaspoon Salt

Spice Mixture

• 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
• 3/4 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
• 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
• 2 Teaspoons Ground Ginger
• 1/4 Teaspoon Allspice optional
• 1/4 Teaspoon Mace optional

Wet Ingredients

• 4 Eggs Beaten
• 1 Cup Olive Oil
• 2 Tbsp Molasses Light or Dark
• 1 Zest of one Orange
• 1/4 Cup Fresh Orange Juice
• 2 Tbsp Bourbon optional
• 1/3 Cup Plus 1 Tbsp. Water
• 1 Can Pumkin Purée 15 ounces, or about 2 Cups

Cream Cheese Frosting (Optional)

• 8 Ounces Cream Cheese
• 4 Tbsp Butter Softened
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla
• 3 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar

Orange-Bourbon Glaze (Optional)

• 2 Tbsp Orange Marmalade
• 1 Tbsp Bourbon Can also use Orange Juice or a little water

Instructions

 

Pumpkin Bread

• Preheat the Oven to 350°

  Prepare your Loaf Pans:

  Two 9”x5” Loaf Pans – or

  Four Mini Loaf Pans of (5 3/4”x3 1/4”), or a combination

  Spray with nonstick spray, line with parchment paper and spray the paper.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients and whisk to combine.

  Make a large hole in the center of the dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients except the Pumpkin. Use a whisk or handheld mixer to combine.

  Add the Pumpkin Purée and mix again until everything is combined and the batter is smooth.
• Divide the batter into your prepared pans and bake.

  1) The 9”x5” Pans: 60-70 Minutes

  2) The Mini Loaf Pans: 45-55 Minutes

  **Bake until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted.

  **Sometimes is easier to place the pans on a sheet pan in the oven to create an even surface.
• Allow the loaves to cool for 15-30 minutes before removing them from the pan.

  Cool Completely and frost or glaze. **If you plan to freeze the loaves, do not frost or glaze before freezing. Thaw the loaves completely and then frost or glaze.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• In a large bowl combine the Cream Cheese, softened Butter, and Vanilla. Using a mixer, blend until smooth.

  Keeping the mixer at a low speed, gradually add the Powdered Sugar. Blend until very smooth.

  Frost the loaves by using a pastry bag and a zig-zag pattern, or spread the frosting all over the top.

Orange-Bourbon Glaze

• Combine the marmalade and Bourbon, (or liquid of choice), to make a thick glaze consistency. Spoon the glaze over the tops of the loaves to coat evenly.

Notes

OTHER OPTIONS:

1. Sugars:

• I’ve substituted the regular sugar with the same amount of maple syrup. (Because I like the taste of maple, and it also has a lower glycemic index.) If you do this, just reduce the amount of water to a total of 1/4 Cup. 
• If you wish to use honey, use half the amount listed for the sugar. For this recipe, if you’re substituting honey for the white sugar, use 1/2 Cup. Also, reduce the water to 1/4 Cup total. 

2. Flours:

• You can use Gluten Free flour in this recipe. Also, you can use a mixture of white flour with whole wheat or oat flour for added nutrition. Convert approximately 1/3 of the flour mixture to the alternative flour, to mix with the white. In this recipe, it would be 1 Cup of whole wheat, oat, or another flour with 2 1/2 Cups of white flour. 

3. Spice Combo:
If you don’t have all the spices listed here, don’t worry. If I had to choose two must-haves, it would be cinnamon and nutmeg. My third choice would be Allspice or Mace, as they inherently have hints of other spices within them. I personally love the taste of clove, so I usually have it in my pantry. 

4. Other Pan Options:

• You can also use a mini Bundt pan or cupcake pan for this bread. Bake them for 15-20 minutes, checking them with a toothpick, as you would the loaf bread. 

 

Keyword Olive Oil, Pumpkin

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