Cranberry-Walnut Pumpkin Bread

spatchcock's Note:

I love pumpkin spice bread, walnuts, and cranberries, and found this fantastic recipe at epicurious.com. It was published in Gourmet magazine in October 2003.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 25 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs 10 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 1 loaf

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar, plus
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries (I plan to use fresh.)
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Butter 9 1/4x5 1/4x3-inch loaf pan.
3. Line bottom and 2 long sides with waxed paper.
4. Whisk flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in medium bowl to blend.
5. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy.
6. Gradually add 1 cup sugar, beating until blended.
7. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time.
8. Beat in pumpkin, then vanilla.
9. Beat in dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk in 2 additions each.
10. Fold in cranberries and nuts.
11. Transfer batter to pan.
12. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar.
13. Bake bread until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes.
14. Cool bread in pan on rack 15 minutes.
15. Cut around bread at short ends to loosen from pan.
16. Turn bread out onto rack; peel off waxed paper.
17. Cool bread completely.
18. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Wrap and store at room temperature.).

Reviews

[-Sheri-]

Very good. The crust is fabulous! I used the cranberrys from Cranberry Liqueur. I saw where this recipe says that it makes 1 loaf. As I was mixing the ingredients I realized there was much more batter than for 1 loaf. Then I looked at the size loaf pan to use. This makes a lot! Well worth it. I made 1 large loaf and 2 of the small. Watch the cooking times.

[ellie_]

Very good -- I made 20 muffins, cooking time adjusted to 25 minutes. I didn't have any pumpkin pie spice so used 1 t cinnamon, 1/2 t nutmeg and 1/2 t allspice to make up the 2 t pumpkin pie spice and I used about 1 cup fresh cranberries. Delish! Thanks for sharing!