Pumpkin Banana Bread With Toasty Pecans

If you enjoy banana bread and have a liking for its pumpkin counterpart, I have a delightful offering for you.

Photo by Julia Gartland

Pumpkin banana bread is the loaf cake you were unaware you needed. It offers substantial contributions while remaining remarkably unpretentious. This loaf-cake hybrid possesses the familiar comforting banana flavor and an exceptionally soft, moist crumb characteristic of traditional banana bread, enhanced by elusive fall undertones. That includes the pumpkin, along with a touch of cinnamon and ginger in the blend. Moreover, I noted that it is interspersed with richly roasted pecans. Indeed, you are welcome.

I prefer brown sugar in this bread, since its distinctive caramel and molasses flavor complements both bananas and pumpkin exceptionally well. The oil maintains the bread's moisture for several days and is the most convenient fat for cake baking; however, melted butter can be used as a substitute if desired. The spices enhance the pumpkin's flavor, but you may omit them or intensify their use, as you choose. The same applies to the pecans: I consider them an excellent choice here, owing to their flavor and texture; nevertheless, if you are not very fond of nuts or prefer an alternative (such as walnuts), feel free to substitute. Mashed bananas and pumpkin possess equivalent weight and exhibit comparable behavior during baking; therefore, you may increase the quantity of either ingredient, provided the total remains unchanged (1½ cups/340 grams per loaf).

To optimize the recipe assembly, incorporate the leavening agents, salt, and spices into the wet ingredients, while adding the flour separately as the final step. This prevents the need for an additional bowl and helps to ensure the flour remains unoverworked, so avoiding a dense cake. In summary, aficionados of loaf cake, this bread epitomizes a fusion of diverse flavors (including banana, pumpkin, spicy, or nutty), and if any of these varieties excite your palate, it is quite likely to become your ultimate favorite.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil, plus more for pan

• 1 cup packed light brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 1 large egg

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 3/4 cup mashed bananas, about 2 medium very ripe ones

• 3/4 cup pure pumpkin purée

• 1.5 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted

• 2 tablespoon turbinado sugar, for sprinkling

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lubricate an 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan with oil. Line the base with a substantial amount of parchment paper that extends over the two longer sides of the pan.

• In a large bowl, vigorously blend the sugar, oil, and vanilla with a whisk for approximately 30 seconds. Incorporate the egg and subsequently add baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and salt, stirring vigorously. Incorporate bananas and pumpkin by whisking. Carefully incorporate the flour and pecans into the wet ingredients using a flexible spatula until no traces of flour remain.

• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and level the surface with a spatula. Liberally apply turbinado sugar. Bake for 65 to 70 minutes, rotating the pan at the midpoint, until a wooden skewer inserted in the center emerges with a wet crumb or two.

• Allow to cool for around 20 minutes until you can securely remove the loaf from the pan using the parchment overhang without risking burns. Utilize a butter knife to gently separate the edges if resistance is encountered. Allow to cool to ambient temperature before to serving. Store the bread securely wrapped on the counter for a maximum of three days.