Carole Walter*s Pumpkin Pecan Loaf

marilynfl

Moderator
Adapted from Great Coffee Cakes, Sticky Buns, Muffins & More, Carole Walter

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups AP flour

1 1/2 t cinnamon

1/4 t nutmeg

1/2 t allspice

1 t baking powder

1 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

2 large eggs

3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 t orange zest

1 t lemon zest

1/2 cup neutral oil

1 1/4 cups pumpkin puree–canned is fine

1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat the oven to 325 F. Grease, line the bottom with parchment paper, and grease again a 9X5 loaf pan. Set aside.

Combine the flour, spices, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.

In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the eggs with the whip attachment on medium high speed for 2 minutes, until lightened in color. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar slowly, taking 3 minutes in total to add all of the sugars. Add the citrus zests and beat for 1 minute longer. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

Reduce the mixer speed to medium low and drizzle the oil in, taking about 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the pumpkin puree. Mix until it is thoroughly combines. Add the dry ingredients in 2 additions, mixing on low at the outset and finishing by folding with a spatula by hand. Do not overmix. Fold in the pecans if using.

Pour and scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 60-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted deep into the center of the bread comes out clean. Cool for 35 minutes on a wire rack and then invert the pan, removing the bread. peel the parchment paper away and then invert again. Cool completely on the rack before slicing. Wrap tightly for storage.

 
A while back I was looking for pumpkin bread recipes that included zucchini because

my favorite pumpkin bread from FL had that in its ingredient list. But this version from Carole Walter comes very very close...even without the zucchini. It has a bit too much nutmeg & allspice and it doesn't have a high rise and a long crack down the middle, but it's moist and flavorful and nutty. Oh...I used a cup of roasted pecans in mine and used part of the flour mix to coat them before hand-blending into the batter.

READ THE INSTRUCTIONS! This batter is prepared like Silver Palate's Carrot Cake...the eggs are beaten until they double and lighten, then the sugar is added and it's beaten some more and only then is the oil drizzled in to emulsify it.

PS: I did try two of the recipes you guys provided and they were good, but they didn't have the same texture as the one I was trying to replicate. This one does and I think it has to do with that emulsion step. Typically, with quick bread recipes, I just dump the stuff together.

 
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