Apple Cider Pumpkin Bread

Whenever the fall farmers’ markets and farms are blooming with fresh produce, this Apple Cider Pumpkin Bread recipe is there to make use of all the market goodies. Pick up a gallon of your favorite apple cider, grab a pie pumpkin for your puree (or opt for premade pumpkin puree), and you’re on your way to a delicious loaf full of warm spices.

How to Make Fresh Pumpkin Puree

If you want to take your recipe to the next level you can make a pumpkin puree from scratch for the freshest, brightest taste of pumpkin. Start with selecting a pie pumpkin that’s best for baking. Then, cut the pumpkin in half, remove the seeds and stringy bits, and roast in the oven until tender. Once cooled, scoop out the flesh and puree it in a food processor or blender. Strain the puree to remove any remaining seeds or fibers and store in the fridge or freezer.

Apple Cider Pumpkin Bread Recipe

Apple Cider Pumpkin Bread Ingredients

• 1 cup apple cider
• ½ cup pumpkin puree
• ½ cup butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 ¼ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• ½ cup dried cranberries

For the Topping:

• 1 tbsp butter, melted
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• 1 Gala apple, cored and sliced
• 4 tbsp almonds, coarsely chopped

Bread Instructions

1. Remove all ingredients from refrigerator and let them reach room temperature.
2. Preheat oven to 325.
3. Butter and flour a 9×5 loaf pan.
4. In a saucepan, simmer apple cider and pumpkin puree until reduced to 1 cup. Let cool to room temperature.
5. In a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat for two minutes.
6. Gradually add flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Beat just until combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl at least twice.
7. By hand, stir in cranberries until evenly distributed in the batter.
8. Turn batter into prepared loaf pan.
9. In a mixing bowl, toss together all topping ingredients except pepitas. Arrange apple slices on top of the batter in the loaf pan. Sprinkle with pepitas.
10. Bake for approximately 60 minutes or until a wooden skewer emerges cleanly.
11. Let cool for a few minutes before running a knife around the edges of the loaf pan to separate the loaf from the pan. Let cool to room temperature before removing loaf from pan.
12. Slice to serve. Have honey, cream cheese and/or soft butter on hand to slather the slices!

Recipe by Keith Recker / Styling by Anna Franklin / Photography by Dave Bryce

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