Did you know that International Pumpkin Day falls on October 26th? That’s not so far away, and what better way to celebrate than to bake yourself some fantastic pumpkin bread. With back to school behind us, and the loom of fall in the air – baking pumpkin bread is a great way to enhance the season.
Pumpkin bread is a quick bread, some will call it a cake, and while fairly simple and straightforward there are some questions and/or problems that you might run into along your pumpkin bread-making way. Adding too much pumpkin puree can cause under baking in the center of your bread, over mixing can cause deflation and these are just a few problems that this article is going to cover as much as where and how to store, decorating tips, add-ons, and more.
Toppings & Add-Ins for your pumpkin bread
Pumpkin bread is amazing on its own, no word of a lie. You can, however, totally “up” your pumpkin bread game by either throwing in a few add-ins and even turning it into a delectable dessert by adding a topping.
I don’t know about you, but I’m a sucker for frosting, icing, or any kind of sugary topping on any kind of cake or quick bread.
Whether using your favorite buttercream frosting, or a cream cheese frosting, a simple royal icing, or a shiny spiced glazed – all would be a welcome and delicious option to decorate and enhance your pumpkin bread with.
The toppings on pumpkin bread aren’t, however, limited to sugary stuff, nuts and seeds are an excellent option and totally worth it. If you want to continue with the sweet theme, candied nuts would be oh-so-good!
Another sweet topping (are your teeth starting to ache?) is a nice streusel or crumble that makes for a loaf of great-tasting pumpkin bread, as well as quite pretty.
There are a lot of options when it comes to some of the additional ingredients you can throw into a pumpkin bread batter. Depends on whether you’re adding add-ins for texture, flavor, or both.
Here’s a great list of yummy ideas, from nice and sweet to wonderfully crunchy:
- Chocolate chips – kid-friendly favorite
- White chocolate chips – adult-friendly favorite
- Nuts – walnut and pecan are quite nice
- Seeds – an obvious choice would be pumpkin seeds, but sunflower seeds are always nice, while chia and flax are a great nutritionally boosting option
- Cream cheese-filled – A definite game-changer, taking your pumpkin bread from great to whoa!
- Banana – not necessarily an add-in, but a pumpkin and banana combination is quite spectacular
- Bourbon – yes, bourbon.
As you can see, there are quite a few ingredients you can add to your pumpkin bread, all depending on what you like and how adventurous you’re feeling.
Is a crack in my pumpkin bread a bad sign? No
A good-looking pumpkin bread, once baked, will have puffed up and have a nice crack running along the top. Side note, this particular look also signifies that the pumpkin bread has been cooked all the way through.
If you’re not getting this “look” for your pumpkin bread, you may want to try one of two things or even a combination of the two:
- Lower the temperature and allow for a little more cooking time as the center of the pumpkin bread tends to fall behind while baking, compared to the sides.
- Pitch a loose tent of aluminum foil over the pumpkin bread, which will slow down the browning process and avoid burning the top while the center catches up in baking.
Amazing Pumpkin Bread
Why is my Pumpkin bread dry?
If your pumpkin bread turns out dry, it’s mostly likely due to: Measurement inaccuracy. Make sure to measure all ingredients exactly. The best way to ensure the best results for your pumpkin bread is by weighing your ingredients. Overbaking. Overbaking your pumpkin bread will dry it out because it causes the moisture to evaporate.
How much pumpkin seeds is too much?
Pumpkin seeds are healthy, providing insoluble fiber and oils that are inside. However, you should consume a handful per day or evaluate the individual consumption limit, since excess can cause diarrhea and stomach pain.
Why is my Pumpkin bread crumbly?
The main reason why your pumpkin bread is crumbly is the use of the wrong flour.. Using a low-protein flour like cake flour or pastry flour can result in a lack of gluten, leading to a fragile structure. So, if you’re tired of crumbly pumpkin bread and ready to enjoy a moist and delicious treat, keep reading.
Why does pumpkin bread sink in a pan?
When the batter reaches the top of the pan and has nowhere else to rise, it sinks into itself in the center. Cook’n adds that this is because the batter needs structure from the pan edges to cling to and support it as it rises. So how much should you be filling your pan when baking pumpkin bread?