Pumpkin Cranberry Loaf

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Sharp tangy cranberries dot this wonderfully moist pumpkin bread loaf. A perfect treat for an Autumn morning, pair it with a warm cup of coffee to have yourself a delectable breakfast, an afternoon snack, or a semi-sweet dessert. This pumpkin cranberry loaf is simple to bake and truly delicious.

Nothing says Fall quite like pumpkin and cranberries, be it the flavors or the deep Autumn colors. This loaf is a great way to welcome the season in your kitchen. So go ahead and take slice, cozy up by the first hearth fire of the season, get out your favorite mug and a good book, and dig in to this Fall treat.

Why You’ll Want This Recipe

A Balance of Flavors: The sweet pumpkin balances with pops of tart cranberries folded throughout the bread. Add some warm spices such as cinnamon and cloves in, and you have yourself the perfect mix of sweet, tart, and spicy.

Perfectly Moist: Pumpkin bread allows for a moist loaf without being too dense or heavy.

Seasonal Treat: If you’re looking for something Fall and festive, but simple, this is it. Nothing fancy here, just great Autumn flavors in a simple bake.

Ingredients

Flour – If you mill your own flour, adjust the amount to 2 cups of milled flour using 100% soft white wheat berries.

Ground Cinnamon

Ground Cloves

Ground Nutmeg

Ground Ginger – Dry, of course.

Salt

Baking Powder

Baking Soda

Pumpkin – Canned or fresh. If you do use fresh pumpkin, make sure it is a pie variety, not the large carving pumpkins.

Melted Butter – I always use unsalted butter in baking.

Half n Half

Brown Sugar

Sugar

Eggs

Whole Cranberries – These can be fresh or frozen.

Tools You May Need

Loaf Pan

Mixing Bowl

Spoon

How to Make a Pumpkin Cranberry Loaf

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan.

Fun Tip: I prefer to grease my pans with a bit of melted butter. A quick shortcut I use is to stick the pan into the preheating oven for a minute. Once the pan is warm, I remove it and wipe a stick of butter all over the inside of the pan. If needed, I will use a basting brush to spread the butter into the corners.

Step 2: In a medium-sized bowl, add the flour, all of the spices, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix it up well.

Step 3: In a separate bowl, mix the melted butter, half n half, and the pumpkin. Next, add in the sugar, brown sugar, and the eggs. beat it all together until just mixed.

Step 4: Mix the dry and wet ingredients together. Again, fold everything gently until it is just mixed. You don’t want to over mix pumpkin bread. Finally, fold in the cranberries or any other extras you want to try such as walnuts or chocolate chips.

Step 5: Bake the loaf at 350°F for 1 hour and then check on it with the toothpick test. It may need a little longer depending on the size and material of your loaf pan. Be careful not to over-bake it though. We are aiming for that soft, moist crumb, and over-baking will dry it out.

Tips

• Keep in mind that the material of your loaf pan will affect the length of bake time. This recipe was baked in a ceramic pan.
• If you want to use freshly-milled flour, use 100% soft white wheat berries and increase the amount to 2 cups of flour.
• Make an indention in the center of the batter (see photo below) to help it bake evenly. The outside is always going to bake faster, so creating an indention in the center of the loaf will help the whole thing cook and rise evenly.

Storage

Counter: Yes, you can keep the bread on the counter for 3-4 days. Just make sure it is tightly sealed, so it won’t dry out.

Fridge: Seal your bread in an airtight container or wrap it in saran wrap and keep it in the fridge for 5-7 days.

Freezer: After your bread fully cools, seal it tightly in saran wrap and then place in a freezer bag. It can stay in the freezer for up to 3 months.

More Autumn Cooking

• Apple Pecan Bread
• Creamy Lentil Soup
• Honey Dijon Chicken

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