Last week during the time when the subways and roads were all closed because of Sandy, Andy & I got a little stir crazy. We’d already played several games of Monopoly, watched Season 1 of Game Of Thrones, and I’d been baking up a storm. I knew it was time to try something more challenging, so with a couple fresh yeast packets I thought a good ole’ loaf of bread was in order. I had a can of pumpkin in my “non-perishable food stash” so that’s where this bread came to be.

I found this recipe to be one of the easiest “yeast breads” I’ve ever made. Everything is basically just tossed together in the mixer and then proofed a couple times. The flavor of the bread itself isn’t really sweet, but full of spice and flavor. It would make a regular bread for a Thanksgiving sandwich or even dinner rolls! I decided to add a cinnamon swirl because I had a vision of making french toast with it in the future. (Luckily it makes 2 loaves because we devoured the first one right away.)

I enjoyed this bread just as is with a smear of pumpkin butter, but it is delicious just plain and warm. If you want a thoughtful and impressive gift for all those holiday get-togethers that are almost upon us, this would make anyone happy. And get ready for the best-smelling kitchen imaginable…this bread smells like a dream!
PS- If making swirl bread seems daunting- don’t worry! I took pictures of the process…see below!

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Pumpkin Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Yield: 2 loaves of bread

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Ingredients

• 1/2 cup warm water
• 2 packages, 2 tablespoons active dry yeast
• 2/3 cup warm milk
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups puréed pumpkin, either fresh or canned
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 6 1/2 cups approximately all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• cinnamon swirl:
• 4 Tablespoons butter, softened
• 4 Tablespoons granulated white sugar
• 2 Tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, stir yeast into water to soften.
2. Add milk, eggs, pumpkin, oil, 4 cups flour, brown sugar, salt, and spices to yeast mixture. Beat vigorously for 2 minutes.
3. ??Gradually add remaining flour, a little at a time, until you have a dough stiff enough to knead.
4. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. (or just replace paddle with your dough hook if using a stand mixer.) knead, adding flour as necessary, until you have a smooth, elastic dough.
5. ??Put dough into an oiled bowl. Turn once to coat entire ball of dough with oil. Cover with a towel and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
6. Turn dough out onto a lightly oiled work surface. Divide dough in half.
7. Roll each half out into a rectangle. (one by one) Spread with butter and sprinkle w/ cinnamon & sugar.
8. Start at one end and roll it up. The tighter you can roll it- the more swirls you have. (My second loaf was rolled much tighter!)
9. Transfer the rolled dough to a bread pan, seam-side down.
10. Cover with a towel and let rise until almost doubled, about 45 minutes.
11. Bake in a preheated 375°F oven. Bake for about 30 minutes. Check the internal temperature of each with an instant-read thermometer; a reading of 190°F means bread is done.
12. ??Immediately remove bread from pans and cool on a wire rack to prevent crust from becoming soggy. For a shiny crust, brush tops of bread or rolls lightly with vegetable oil. Makes 2 large loaves.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g

Did you make this recipe?

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Turn dough out onto a lightly oiled work surface. Divide dough in half.
Roll each half out into a rectangle. (one by one)  Spread with butter and sprinkle w/ cinnamon & sugar.

Start at one end and roll it up. The tighter you can roll it- the more swirls you have. (My second loaf was rolled much tighter!)

Transfer the rolled dough to a bread pan, seam-side down.

Cover with a towel and let rise until almost doubled, about 45 minutes.

Bake in a preheated 375°F oven.  Bake for about 30 minutes.  Check the internal temperature of each with an instant-read thermometer; a reading of 190°F means bread is done. 

Immediately remove bread from pans and cool on a wire rack to prevent crust from becoming soggy. For a shiny crust, brush tops of bread or rolls lightly with vegetable oil. Makes 2 large loaves.

Recipe adapted from: King Arthur’s Flour