Brown Butter Pumpkin Bread with Pepita Crust & Whipped Maple Butter
The moist, warmly spiced pumpkin bread you want on a crisp fall morning, made deeper and nuttier with brown butter, topped with a crunchy sugared pepita crust, and served with a 2-minute whipped maple butter. One bowl, one loaf pan, no mixer needed for the bread.
Use the Link importer in the app to save this recipe. Apple Intelligence is required on a supported iPhone or iPad.
Ingredients
Serves 10
- 0.5 cup unsalted butter1 stick (113 g), for browning
- 1.75 cups all-purpose flour220 g, spooned and leveled
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 0.5 tsp baking powder
- 0.75 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg
- 0.25 tsp ground cloves
- 1.5 cups pumpkin purée340 g; plain canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling
- 0.75 cup light brown sugar150 g, packed
- 0.25 cup granulated sugar50 g
- 2 large eggsroom temperature
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 0.33 cup raw pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)45 g
- 1 tbsp turbinado sugaror more granulated sugar
- 0.5 cup unsalted butter1 stick, softened, for the whipped maple butter
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrupfor the whipped maple butter
- 1 pinch flaky sea salt
The method
Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the center. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and line it with a strip of parchment that overhangs the long sides, so you can lift the loaf out later.
5 minBrown the butter: melt 1 stick of butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Keep cooking, swirling the pan often, until the foaming dies down and the milk solids at the bottom turn golden brown and smell nutty, 5 to 7 minutes. Immediately scrape it, browned bits and all, into a large mixing bowl and let it cool for 10 minutes.
17 minWhile the butter cools, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, kosher salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves together in a medium bowl.
3 minWhisk the pumpkin purée, brown sugar and granulated sugar into the cooled brown butter until smooth. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, then the 2 tablespoons of maple syrup and the vanilla.
3 minAdd the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and fold with a spatula just until no dry streaks remain. Don't overmix, or the loaf will be tough. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
2 minScatter the pepitas evenly over the batter, press them in lightly so they stick, and sprinkle the turbinado sugar over the top.
1 minBake for 55 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs (about 200°F inside). If the pepitas are browning too fast, lay a loose sheet of foil over the pan after 40 minutes.
60 minCool the loaf in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift it out by the parchment and let it cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing, so the crumb sets.
70 minWhile the loaf cools, make the whipped maple butter: beat the softened butter, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup and a pinch of flaky salt with a hand mixer (or a sturdy whisk) for 2 to 3 minutes, until pale and fluffy.
3 minCut the loaf into thick slices and serve with a generous swipe of whipped maple butter.
2 min
Timings are a guide. Use the instruction and your own judgment as you cook.
Tips
- Measure the pumpkin: A 15-ounce can holds a bit more than 1 1/2 cups. Use 1 1/2 cups (340 g) for the best rise, and stir the leftover spoonful into oatmeal or yogurt.
- Watch the butter closely: Brown butter goes from golden to burnt in under a minute. A light-colored pan lets you see the color change. Pull it off the heat as soon as it smells like toasted hazelnuts.
- Doneness check: Ovens vary, so start checking at 55 minutes. The top should spring back when pressed and a toothpick should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Make it a muffin: Divide the batter among 12 lined muffin cups, top with the pepitas and sugar, and bake at 350°F for 20 to 24 minutes.
- Storage: Wrap the cooled loaf and keep it at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge for up to 5. Slices freeze well for 3 months; toast them straight from the freezer. Keep the maple butter covered in the fridge for up to 2 weeks and soften before serving.
Keep this recipe in Flavor Folio
Bring the ingredients and method into your collection, check the details, then save it for the next time you cook.
Apple Intelligence is required on a supported iPhone or iPad. Check supported devices
Copy the recipe link
Use the button below, or copy the address shown.
Open Flavor Folio
Choose Add, then Link. Paste the recipe link and start the import.
Check it. Make it yours.
Review the ingredients and method, then save the recipe to your collection.
