SUNDAY COOK: PUMPKIN BREAD TOPPED WITH PUMPKIN BUTTERCREAM

All I can say is.....

I DID IT!!!       I DID IT, I DID IT - I DID IT!

I made something fall and pumpkiny before we left our little cabin here in the woods and more importantly - the OVEN.

And I went out in style if I do say so my self. I KNEW that I HAD to make this bread when I came across it on pinterest a few weeks ago - not only did it SOUND good but the pics from over at NancyCreative just make you want to reach through the screen for a piece. 

My pics just don't come out the same with our eight year old little coolpix, but it sure did come through in taste and richness. If you are looking for a easy dessert or something to go with your coffee - or how about a creamy pumpkin latte - then this is the recipe for you!

So, here we go..........

*** Just a quick note - Nancy's version of the recipe came from the cookbook Great Coffee Cakes, Sticky Buns, Muffins & More --- she adapted it a bit and posted her changes on her site NancyCreative -- I made further alterations. The recipe I used is below - if you want to check out the original see either of the two links above. Definitely take a look at Nancy's pics - it's worth the trip over to her site.

PUMPKIN BREAD WITH PUMPKIN BUTTERCREAM 

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp each of nutmeg and allspice - I omitted these - I don't have them here in the forest with me and I doubt I'll need them for the next year so I didn't go in search of them.

2 large eggs

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup oil (I used grapeseed - it was either that or Olive - the only two oils I keep on hand - well beside sesame ....)

1 1/4 cups canned pure pumpkin puree

Pumpkin Buttercream Frosting

1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 tbsp canned pure pumpkin puree

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp vanilla

3 cups powdered sugar

2 tsps half & half or milk

1/4 to 1/3 cup chopped nuts - pecans or walnuts 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x5" loaf pan; set aside.

Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices in a medium bowl and stir until well combined; set aside.

In a large bowl, beat eggs on medium high speed for two minutes or until lightened in colour. Add the brown sugar, mixing for about 2 minutes, then the granulated sugar, mixing for about 1 minute. Scrape down bowl as needed. 

Drizzle in the oil with the beater on medium-low. 

Reduce speed to low and add the pumpkin puree. Mix thoroughly until well combined.

Nothing magic about the pumpkin I chose - I just thought it would be nice to have a picture of a pumpkin since we are talking about them! Sure wish we' grown pumpkins this year - even just so I could have a pic here of the real thing!

OH WAIT!!!  I DO HAVE A PUMPKIN PICTURE!!!!

  

ahhhhhhhhhhh Cassia's 1st fall - just about this time in 2009 in Keremeos, BC.

 Add the dry ingredients in two additions and blend for 10 - 15 seconds just until incorporated. 

Shows you how out to lunch I was - I thought it was add wet to dry like 1000 other recipes so I had my bowls switched. Well, I just went ahead and added wet to dry and it worked out just as well.

Spoon the batter into your prepared loaf pan and bake for 60 - 65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes our clean. It was about 55 minutes for mine but as I've mentioned my oven is on the hot side.

Cool loaf in pan for 10 to 15 minutes, then remove and cool completely on a wire rack.

Another indication that my mind was elsewhere (as in on all the other stuff I have to get done in the next two days!) I forgot to take pictures of the buttercream making process. But - pretty straight forward - right?

Cream the butter, pumpkin puree, cinnamon and vanilla, blending well. Add the powdered sugar a cup at a time, blending well after each addition. Add half & half or milk and blend well.

Nancy noted that it was a very think frosting and that was no understatement! I ended up adding about double the cream to make it a little easier to spread - it was STILL very thick.

Sprinkle with chopped nuts.

VERY VERY PERFECT FOR FALL!

One thing I HAVE to mention! The buttercream is VERY VERY sweet - and that's from me - the only one in the family that LOVES sweet icing. I somehow missed Nancy mentioning this before her recipe - darn - she suggested halving the recipe. Boy - I should have listened.

So here's the scoop! DON'T make all this icing unless you have sweet TEETH not just the TOOTH. My suggestion?! At the max make half and spread it thin - or go without icing or go find yourself a cream cheese icing perhaps. 

How can you tell I am trying to get as much baking in as possible. This morning we started out with these.....

Carrot Cake pancakes with Cream Cheese from Joy the Baker's cookbook I told you about a while back. I notice it isn't on her blog.....

And yes - the cream cheese was a bit lumpy - no time to care - they tasted just as good!

Well, that's it for me.

Sadly - for me - this is the last Sunday Cook. There is no way I could even THINK about promising recipes from on the road - let alone on Sundays. I'm not even sure at this point if we will have internet on demand. 

There was a whole list of recipes I didn't get to this summer like homemade marshmallows and pretzels, and the list goes on -- sigh --. 

We will of course be post about the food we find down south after all the FOOD is one of the best things about traveling - right?!

Later,

Teresa

TODAY'S INTERESTING LINK: This link is totally unrelated to food but I was thinking about it again as I was driving home tonight from Gold Pan. I found it through another travel site -- it is called HelpExhange or helpx -- I even signed us up just in case. Take a look around - the idea is that you stay and work at a place for room and board. A little different for us since we don't need the room - well except for that to park our van. I thought it might be a neat experience for us - especially if we can find a place centered around animals - I think all three of us would enjoy that!

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