Pumpkin Mini-Bread Trio

This versatile recipe makes a trio of holiday mini-breads, perfect for entertaining, gifts, or a special family breakfast. Each bread features a different fruit or nut added to the same basic batter. If you prefer to keep it simple, all you need to do is triple one of the added ingredients and use in all three loaves.
Prep: 55 minutes Bake: 34 to 36 minutes Bake at: 325°F Yield: 3 mini-loaves Pan: three 5x2-inch mini-loaf pans Difficulty: easy

Ingredients

Streusel Topping

  • 1/4 cup (53 grams) dark brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Pinch salt
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
  • 1/4 cup walnuts, finely chopped

Bread #1

  • 1/3 cup walnuts, chopped

Bread #2

  • 1/3 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, chopped

Bread #3

  • 1/3 cup tart apple (1/2 small McIntosh apple), peeled and grated (see "Tips")
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Bread Batter

  • 1 1/2 cups (180 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (see "Tips")
  • 1/2 cup (102 grams) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (107 grams) dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup pure pumpkin puree
  • 1/2 teaspoon molasses
  • Baker's Joy non-stick cooking spray
  • Soft butter or room temperature mascarpone cheese for spreading, if desired

Directions

Bring the eggs to room temperature.

Making the Streusel Topping

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the dark brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in the butter to make fine particles. Stir in the walnuts. Refrigerate the topping until needed.

Preparing the Nut and Fruit Additions

  • Chop the walnuts and set aside.
  • Chop the cranberries and set aside.
  • Peel and grate the apple (avoiding the core) and loosely pack in the measuring cup. Mix the apple with the lemon juice and set aside.

Making the Bread Batter

  • Preheat the oven to 325°F.
  • In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and pumpkin pie spice.
  • In a large bowl, use an electric mixer at medium speed to beat together the sugar, dark brown sugar, and oil. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until light. Add the pumpkin puree and molasses and beat to combine.
  • Stir in the flour mixture in 2 additions until just incorporated.
  • Prepare the mini-loaf pans with Baker's Joy non-stick cooking spray or grease and flour the pans.
  • Weigh the batter. Spoon 1/3 of the batter (about 276 grams) into a separate bowl. Add the reserved walnuts and stir to combine. Spoon the walnut batter into a loaf pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Repeat the process with cranberries and then apple. Sprinkle the streusel topping over each loaf.
  • Place the pans on the diagonal on the middle rack with several inches between pans. Bake 34 to 36 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Make sure you check all 3 loaves.
  • Cool the loaves in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of each pan and turn out loaves on a wire rack to cool. Serve the bread warm or at room temperature and spread the slice with soft butter or room temperature mascarpone cheese, if desired.
  • Wrap and store the breads for up to 3 days. You can freeze wrapped loaves for up to 2 weeks.

Tips

  • Do not use a juicy variety of apple. The apple loaf won't fully bake in the same amount of time as the walnut and cranberry loaves.
  • You can replace pumpkin pie spice with 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves.
  • You can use other nut varieties, fresh or dried fruits in the batter. If you use very juicy fruit such as fresh pear, the loaf will require an additional minute or two of baking.
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