Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin Bread is a hot seller in our house – even Ethan clamors to get a slice when I make it! But after awhile, even this Mama gets tired of making the same ole’ bread so I thought I’d switch it up a bit and began browsing online for a suitable recipe. Then I stumbled upon Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread, and while I wasn’t born in Maine and don’t live there now, I’ll always consider myself a Mainer at heart! I knew I had to give this recipe a try, with a few classic Juggling Act Mama twists! This bread meets all my must-haves for quick breads!

Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread
Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients:

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree – or just shy of 2 cups fresh pumpkin puree

4 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup applesauce

2/3 cup water

3 cups white sugar

2-1/2 cups white sugar

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Cinnamon Streusel Topping
1/2 cup all-purpose flour1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350-degress. Grease and flour three bread pans and set them aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda.

In another bowl (a large one), beat the eggs, then whisk together the oil, applesauce, water, pumpkin puree, sugar, and spices. Stir in the flour mixture until well combined.

Divide the batter evenly into the prepared pans.

Then, in a small bowl –

Mr. Juggling Act says that I think I need to use every dish in the house when I cook/bake. He also says that I inherited this train from my mother. Ahem. He is a stupid brave man, sometimes.

Anyhow, as I was saying, use a fork to combine the butter with the flour, brown sugar and cinnamon until it resembles a coarse meal. Sprinkle over the top of your loaves, gently pressing the mixture into the top of the bread.

Now, if I plan to freeze some of this bread (three loaves is a lot), then I leave the topping off the extra loaves, as that doesn’t freeze as well.

Bake for 50-minutes until the loaves are slightly browned on the edges and a toothpick comes out clean.

Gently turn out onto a cooling rack so you don’t loose all the yummy topping. Store the cooled bread in a sealed bag or container the fridge for about 7 days, or on the counter for a little less than that.

To freeze, wrap the loaf (completely) cooled in plastic wrap and slide into a freezer bag. Thaw in the fridge overnight.