Spiced Squash Bread

The November fog has rolled into our valley, and I have been spending extra time in the kitchen seeking warmth. My favorite holiday, Thanksgiving, is just around the corner, and the winter holiday season will quickly follow. Menu planning and recipe testing have kept me busy with the bounty of autumnal flavors available. After harvesting a particularly abundant crop of winter squash in our backyard, I have been experimenting with recipes that highlight all the sweet and savory ways to incorporate nutritious cucurbits into our meals. This spiced quick bread is a sweet and flavorful treat that fills the house with enticing aromas as it bakes. A comforting delight to share with loved ones.

Ingredients:

2 cups winter squash (pumpkin, Hubbard, butternut, etc.), peeled, 1-inch cubed

2 eggs

½ cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

¼ cup buttermilk

1 cup white sugar

½ cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ teaspoon ground cardamom

½ teaspoon ground clove

½ teaspoon ground mace

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease and lightly flour one 8 ½ x 4 ½ x 2 ½ -inch loaf pan. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or foil.

In a large bowl, toss the cubed squash with 1 tablespoon of oil and a pinch of salt. Spread the squash in a single layer on the prepared sheet pan. Roast until very tender and lightly browned, about 30 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking time. Pull out of oven and cool slightly.

Reduce oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl mash half of the squash into a smooth paste. Add the eggs, ½ cup oil, buttermilk, sugars, and vanilla extract. Mix until evenly combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour baking soda, salt, and dry spices.

Stir the dry ingredients into the squash mixture. Next add the remaining squash and stir until just combined. Do not overmix. Some of the squash pieces should remain whole. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 55 to 65 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Pull from oven and allow to cool in pan. Run a knife along sides and carefully remove loaf from pan.

Notes:

There are plenty of ways you could add your own twist to this recipe. Dried cranberries, walnuts, or pumpkin seeds would be lovely. Or try semi-sweet chocolate chips, pecans, or dates. Adding orange zest or dried ginger could brighten the flavor.

Slices are lovely toasted with butter served with a tea or coffee service. It makes a wonderful snack to have on hand while hungry guests are staying at your house over the holidays. Enjoy!