Maple Swirl Pumpkin Bread

Since it's Fall and pumpkins are now decorating front porches and grocery stores and all baked goods are made with pumpkin flavorings, why not share a pumpkin bread recipe. This can also be made into muffins as with any quick bread. If you choose the muffins route, bake for 20 minutes or so at 400ºF. 


I've also admitted recently to not liking pumpkin flavored everything (Gasp!). However, pumpkin bread every once in awhile is fine with me. As in I will only eat this one time during October. I might have pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving but you won't see me heading to Starbucks for a pumpkin latte. I like my coffee sans weird fruity or veggie flavors, but hey, that's just me it seems.  But I'm not the only one who has grown tired of all the pumpkin flavored foods available this time of year. The Daily Show did a funny segment about it just last week. A clip is posted at the end of this post for you all to see. Americans are just crazy for pumpkin everything during the fall. It's gotten out of hand if you ask me. I'm more of an apple fan. 

Apples? Anyone want apples? There are so many to choose from and they're sweet and crispy! 

Ok. Fine pumpkin it is. 

Please note, you need a big loaf pan for this. I use a 9x5-inch pan. You can use smaller loaf pans, just divide the batter among them. The baking time will be shortened to about 45 minutes depending on how big the loaves are. 

Maple Swirl Pumpkin Bread
Makes 1 9x5-inch loaf

• 2 cups white whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 3 tablespoons molasses 
• 1 15-oz can canned pumpkin

Maple Swirl:

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup maple syrup (the real stuff only)
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Grease and line the bottom with parchment (grease the parchment paper, too) of a 9x5-inch loaf pan. Set aside. 

In a small bowl, combine the Maple swirl ingredients -- butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, walnuts, and pumpkin seeds. Set aside. 

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients -- flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. In another bowl, whisk together the sugar, butter, eggs, Greek yogurt, molasses, and canned pumpkin. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk until combined. 

Spread half of the batter into the prepared pan. Make a trough in the middle of the batter; add half of the maple swirl mixture into the trough. Spread the rest of the batter on top and make a trough in the center of the batter; add the rest of the maple swirl mixture to the batter. Using a knife, swirl the mixture throughout the batter. The maple swirl helps keep the bread moist; I doubt you will actually see the swirl after it's baked. 

Bake for 60-75 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean (check it at 50 minutes to see how it is doing). Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before moving from the pan. 

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