Apparently I decided to be a canned pumpkin hoarder last year. I probably read an article predicting there would be a shortage of pumpkins and canned pumpkin. Whether it was true or fake news, my gullibleness caused me to stock up on pumpkin puree. I couldn't imagine a life, let alone a year, without homemade pumpkin pie, pumpkin muffins, or pumpkin bread. Taking an inventory of the ingredients needed for this Pecan Pumpkin Bread with Pecan Streusel Topping I discovered I had squirreled away six cans of canned pumpkin in the pantry. Learning canned pumpkin has a pretty long shelf life wasn't the only thing I discovered when making this pumpkin bread. But rather than make the pumpkin bread again, not because there wasn't enough canned pumpkin in the house or because it wasn't ridiculously delicious or because it might qualify for contention in the BEST pumpkin bread category, I thought I would share the mixed blessing lesson with you. Some of you might already be asking 'where the heck is the streusel?' as you look at these photos. It's there, you just can't see it.
I say mixed blessing because the intentional but 'with reservations' change to the streusel recipe turned out to have a good unintentional consequence. Instead of the crunchy, nutty, buttery, spicy streusel gracing the top of the pumpkin bread, it seeped it's way into the bread. The result was a river of nutty, buttery, spicy deliciousness. Some of you may have already guessed what caused the disappearing streusel. If you said, there wasn't any flour mixed in with the melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, pecans, and kosher salt, you would be right! Some of you might also be wondering why would anyone do that? Doesn't she know any better? The simple answer is I wanted to try something new.
So depending on whether your want your Pecan Pumpkin Bread to have a lovely streusel top versus a almost praline like streusel middle, you now have a choice. The recipe below gives you two pecan streusel options. Alternately you can forget about the streusel and generously top the bread with some sanding sugar before baking it or just dust it with confectionary sugar after it has baked and cooled. Personally, I like the added flavor and texture a streusel brings to the pecan pumpkin bread. Although now I am not so sure if I like the streusel made with or without flour.
This recipe makes two 9" x 5" Pecan Pumpkin Breads. Yes, two! One for you, two for you, one to give away, or one to wrap well in cellphone and freeze for later. If you decide to freeze one of the loaves, the pumpkin bread needs to completely cool to room temperature before you wrap with plastic wrap. If your bread is warm the condensation will form some ice crystals on the bread. The well wrapped frozen bread will be good for up to two months. Before serving, bring it to room temperature. For that just out of the oven taste experience, heat the slices in the microwave.
Like most quick breads this is a no mixer needed one bowl recipe. Wet ingredients are mixed together using a whisk before the dry ingredients are folded in. Just remember to toast your pecans before adding them to the batter and streusel for the most flavorful pumpkin bread. There is a world of taste difference in baked goods with nuts toasted or nuts not toasted.
For the best baking results (at least from my perspective), bake the pecan pumpkin bread in light (versus dark) colored aluminum baking pans. Aluminum not only heats evenly, it cools down relatively quickly. Which means your bread will cook more evenly while baking and will not dry out while coming to room temperature. Recently I have switched from lining my baking pans with parchment paper to liberally buttering them as I like the sides and bottom of quick breads to slightly caramelize. If you are at all worried about whether your bread will easily release from the baking pan, line the bottom with a piece of parchment paper and then liberally butter the sides of the pan and top of the parchment paper.
If you like your pumpkin bread to be moist but still have great texture and to be highly spiced, this is the pumpkin bread you want or rather need in your life. It is one of those pumpkin breads almost encouraging you to run out to the grocery store to buy up at least a half dozen cans of pumpkin puree. Yes, I am encouraging you to cause a run a canned pumpkin! When the fall pumpkin spice craze and all the fall holidays come to an end, you are going to want to bake up some loaves of this crave-worthy Pecan Pumpkin Bread with Pecan Streusel Topping on a cold winter or chilly spring day. Nothing warms the body and soul like the flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. Especially when they come in a slice of this Pecan Pumpkin Bread with Pecan Streusel Topping or if I may be so bold as to say 'this real contender for BEST' pumpkin bread.
Pecan Pumpkin Bread with Pecan Streusel Topping
Makes two 9"x 5" loaves
Ingredients
Pecan Streusel Topping (see recipe for two options)
1/2 cup pecan halves, toasted, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup light brown sugar (or a combination of light and brown sugar)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly (or very room temperature butter)
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
Pinch of kosher salt
Pumpkin Bread
1 cup pecan halves, toasted, coarsely chopped
1 cup canola oil
3 cups (600 g) granulated sugar
4 large eggs
15 ounce can pumpkin puree
1 cup water
3 cups (390 g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons allspice
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon nutmeg
Optional: Sanding sugar, if not using the streusel
Directions
Pecan Streusel Topping
1. In a medium sized bowl, mix together the melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
2. Add in the flour and pecans. Stir until combined. Place in the refrigerator to firm up slightly while you assemble the pumpkin bread.
3. Alternately, mix together the melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and pecans in a medium sized bowl. Stir until combined. Place in the refrigerator to firm up slightly while you assemble the pumpkin bread.
Pumpkin Bread
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Generously butter two 9" x 5" metal baking pans. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the canola oil and granulated sugar. Stir to combine. It will look like wet sugar.
3. Whisk in the eggs, pumpkin puree, and water until combined.
4. Using a spatula, fold in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt.
5. Gently fold in the pecan pieces.
6. Divide batter evenly between the two pans.
7. Evenly sprinkle clumps of the Pecan Streusel Topping over the pumpkin loaves.
8. Place baking pans on a large baking sheet. Place in oven. Bake for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Let the Pecan Pumpkin Bread rest in the pan until cool.
10. Remove from pan. Cut into thick one inch slices and serve.
11. Store any leftover bread tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 7 days (if it lasts that long). Heat slices up in the microwave before serving for that just out of the oven taste experience or heat up just enough to take the chill off the bread.
Notes: (1) To toast the pecans, preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Lay pecan halves flat on a baking sheet. Bake for 7-9 minutes until lightly browned and aromatic. Let cool before chopping. (2) Instead of topping with the Pecan Streusel Topping, liberally top with sanding sugar. (3) Instead of making loaves of the Pecan Pumpkin Bread, you can make muffins. Baking time will be 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (4) For an even more intensely spiced bread, increase both the cloves and nutmeg from 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons.