Pumpkin Breads
Beautiful pumpkins are a glorious symbol of the season and a key ingredient in many of our favorite recipes. Quick pumpkin breads like muffins and loaves are likely to make an appearance anytime during the holidays – even tied up with a ribbon. For a holiday brunch, dinner, snack or a thoughtful hostess gift, there is a pumpkin bread for every occasion.
What are Quick Breads?
The category of breads that we call "quick breads" includes not only muffins and loaves like banana and pumpkin bread, but also biscuits, cornbread, pancakes and waffles. They are called "quick" because you mix them quickly and bake immediately after mixing. Leavened with baking powder and/or soda, these breads rise in the oven (or on the griddle) as they bake. Self-rising flour and corn meal already contain baking powder, soda and salt, so they are perfect for making quick breads.
Baking Tips for Muffins and Loaves
Here are a few tips to make sure your muffins and loaves turn out right every time:
- For the best results, heat the oven, grease the pan and measure out all ingredients before you start to mix. Muffins and quick loaf batters should be mixed, poured into the pan and baked immediately.
- Follow the recipe, but remember that most quick bread batters are stirred just until the ingredients are combined. Overmixing will make them tough.
- Shiny muffin and loaf pans brown most evenly. Dark pans absorb heat browning more on the bottom than the top. If your pans are dark, reduce the oven temperature 25 degrees.
- Standard muffin cups are about 2 1/2 x 1-inch, but any size may be used. Just remember to fill the cups only 2/3 to 3/4 full, as advised in the recipe.
- Quick loaves usually taste and slice better the day after baking. Cool, wrap and store in a cool place overnight. They may also be frozen up to three months.
Holiday Pumpkin Breads
Time is always at a premium during the holidays, so having some easy bread recipes on hand will take some of the stress out of holiday baking. By keeping just a few ingredients in the pantry, you'll be able to make muffins or a loaf of pumpkin bread with minimum effort.
Everyone will appreciate warm spicy Pumpkin Streusel Muffins for a holiday brunch or afternoon coffee break. Filled with cream cheese and topped with a crunchy cinnamon topping, these muffins are sure to be a holiday favorite.
Pumpkin and Sausage Corn Muffins are an unexpected twist on this theme. This sweet and savory flavor combination is delicious paired with soup or stew for a casual holiday gathering. A cornbread mix simplifies the recipe, but these muffins are good enough to serve with your holiday dinner.
Although loaves take longer to bake than muffins, they are good keepers and nice to have on hand for a snack or unexpected company. Pumpkin Apple Spice Bread gets a head start from a convenient muffin mix which makes mixing so easy you'll want to make several loaves to put in the freezer.