Enjoy all the toasty spices of fall in Maple Glazed Pumpkin Bread. Just a touch of orange zest brightens the flavor.
Seasonal flavor
It seems pumpkin spice has hijacked fall. I know it's coming when I see a display of Halloween costumes in late July, which in my opinion doesn't help its cause.
But with the beautiful hazy and golden light of fall and the crisp evening temperatures, pumpkin spice is a little more welcome. So I am throwing my pumpkin spice contribution into the autumn recipe mix. Maple Glazed Pumpkin Bread has all the toasty roasty flavors we connect with the fall season like cinnamon, maple, and brown sugar. But there is a touch of brightness from the addition of orange zest. It's just there in the background, hanging around to give the bread a more complex flavor.
Classic muffin mixing method
Maple Glazed Pumpkin Bread is very easy to pull together, utilizing the muffin method. Combine all the dry ingredients - all-purpose flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground ginger - in a large bowl. I like to use a whisk to aerate the flour as I mix all the ingredients.
The wet ingredients - pumpkin puree, melted butter, maple syrup, eggs, vanilla extract, and orange zest - are then combined in a smaller bowl. I use a whisk for this process as well. It is important to thoroughly mix the eggs with the ingredients.
Lastly, combine the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients with a spatula. Only mix until the dry ingredients are incorporated. Too much mixing will overwork and toughen the bread.
Pour the thick batter into a greased and floured loaf pan. Smooth the top with an offset spatula so that the bread bakes evenly.
Gilding the Lily
It takes about 1 ½ hours for the bread to bake. Check the doneness of the bread at the 1 ¼ hour mark. Using a skewer inserted in the top of the loaf, check to see if there is batter on the stick. If so, put the break in the oven for the remaining 15 minutes.
Once the bread has cooled for about 30 minutes, remove it from the loaf pan. It should release easily. But be gentle - it is still warm and can be a little fragile until it cools completely.
While the bread is cooling, make the maple glaze. It is a simple powdered sugar glaze made with maple syrup. About ½ cup of the powdered sugar is mixed with 2-4 tablespoons of maple syrup. I like it just thin enough to drizzle down the sides of the loaf.
Afternoon respite
A bread knife will slice through this loaf easily. The moist bread is cake-like with a denser crumb. But one bite and you get all the flavor of warm cinnamon, sweet maple, brown sugar molasses, and in the background, the brightness of the orange zest. And of course, pumpkin!
Though it is perfectly okay to have a slice of the bread for breakfast, I like to indulge while taking a little afternoon break. With the waning afternoon light casting its golden hue, it is a treat to enjoy a slice of Maple Glazed Pumpkin Bread with some coffee or tea while taking in the scenery. Grab a cozy sweater and join me!
Want to try another pumpkin recipe? https://tenpoundcakecompany.com/creamy-pumpkin-cheesecake
Maple Glazed Pumpkin Bread
Equipment
- 5"x9" loaf pan
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour 11.7 ounces/331.2 grams
- 1 cup packed brown sugar 6.3 ounces/178 grams
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Wet Ingredients
- 15 ounces pumpkin puree 1 can/425 grams
- ½ cup melted butter 113 grams
- ⅓ cup maple syrup 78.9 ml
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
Maple Glaze
- ½ cup powdered sugar 1.5 ounces/43 grams
- ¼ cup maple syrup 2 ounces/59.14 ml
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease and flour loaf pan.
- In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder, 1½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ginger, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. It is best to use a whisk to aerate the flour.
- In a smaller bowl, combine all wet ingredients - 1 can pumpkin puree, ½ cup melted butter, ⅓ cup maple syrup, 2 eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon orange zest.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and combine with a spatula. Mix just until all dry ingredients have been incorporated.
- Spoon into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top surface.
- Place on a rack in the middle of the oven.
- Bake for 1 ½ hours. After 1 ¼ hours, use a skewer to test the doneness of the bread. Insert the skewer in the middle of the bread. If it is clean, the bread is done. If there is batter stuck to the skewer, place the loaf pan back in the oven for the remaining 15 minutes.
- Remove the bread from the oven and let cool for approximately 30 minutes. Turn the pan upside down and gently, let the bread slide out of the pan. Place on a rack to continue cooling. The bread is still a little fragile because it is still warm.
Maple Glaze
- While the bread is cooling, prepare the glaze. Mix the powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons of maple syrup. The glaze should be thin enough to drizzle down the sides of the loaf. Add more of the remaining 2 tablespoons to obtain the correct consistency, if needed.
Nutrition
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