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–+ servings

Butternut Squash (Pumpkin) Bread

Confession: This was originally pumpkin bread, but when we wanted to test it in summer and couldn’t get ahold of any fresh pumpkins, we subbed butternut squash. Guess what? It’s better. Way better.
Both U.S. standard and metric measurements are listed, but for consistently delicious results, go metric.
This recipe first appeared in Season 5 of Good Eats.
Alton Brown Pumpkin Bread Recipe
ACTIVE TIME: 20 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 2 hours 50 minutes
Yield: 1 (9-inch) loaf

Software

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 3/4 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 pound fresh butternut squash, peeled and seeded, cut into chunks
  • 1/2 cup hulled pumpkin seeds, toasted

Specialized Hardware

  • Digital kitchen scale
  • Food processor

Procedure

  • Crank the oven to 325ºF.
  • Take the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt for a spin in your food processor, then move them to a large mixing bowl.
  • Spin the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla in the processor, pulsing just a few times to bring everything together, then add the wet mixture to the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Don't worry if there are a few lumps.
  • Install the processor's shredding blade and shred the butternut squash in the food processor. Dump onto a kitchen towel and, over the sink, twist into a ball to wring out as much water as possible. Fold the squash and the pumpkin seeds into the batter using a large rubber spatula, or, better yet, your hand.
  • Pour into a nonstick 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan or a standard nonstick muffin pan, filling the latter two-thirds full. If you don't have a nonstick pan, lightly butter and dust the pan with flour before adding the butter.
  • Bake the loaf for 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 1/2 hours, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 200 to 210ºF. Cool for 15 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a cooling rack to cool completely. For muffins, bake for 30 minutes, then remove from the muffin tin to a cooling rack immediately.