October means that everything-pumpkin season is here again, and while the world keeps finding new ways to add the popular “pumpkin spice” flavor to things we never thought possible (snack chips, gum, bagels….dog treats?), pumpkin classics like this reader-favorite pumpkin bread recipe from the Harborside House in Marblehead, Massachusetts rely on real pumpkin for the […]
Harborside House Pumpkin Bread adds fruit and nuts to tasty pumpkin bread with delicious results.
Photo Credit : Aimee Seavey
October means that everything-pumpkin season is here again, and while the world keeps finding new ways to add the popular “pumpkin spice” flavor to things we never thought possible (snack chips, gum, bagels….dog treats?), pumpkin classics like this reader-favorite pumpkin bread recipe from the Harborside House in Marblehead, Massachusetts rely on real pumpkin for the tastiest results.
Harborside House Pumpkin Bread adds fruit and nuts to tasty pumpkin bread with delicious results. Photo Credit : Aimee Seavey
How do you feel about the pumpkin spice trend? Do you feel overwhelmed by the cornucopia of pumpkin spice products and recipes that flood the media each October, or can you not get enough? Do you wish that, as a nation, we’d show a little more sweet autumn love to the cranberry, sweet potato, or maple (which, technically, is a spring thing, but somehow it turns up in a lot of fall desserts)? Or do you wish that someone would open a cafe in your neighborhood that serves only pumpkin items, all of the time?
No matter how you feel about pumpkin spice shampoo, this classic pumpkin bread recipe is worth a try, and gets an extra boost of flavor from a few added ingredients. Chopped walnuts or pecans add texture and crunch, while dried fruit like cranberries, cherries, or even raisins add pockets of puckery sweetness that blend perfectly with the cinnamon and clove spiced pumpkin. Some folks like to prepare their own pumpkin puree, but if you’re using canned, we like One-Pie, the can with the retro design and New England past.
One-Pie, the classic New England canned pumpkin. Photo Credit : Aimee Seavey
This pumpkin bread recipe yields 2 generous loaves, which makes it perfect for either gift-giving or for freezing the second loaf to save for later. I decided to add chopped pecans and dried cherries to my bread, but feel free to use whatever nut and/or fruit you happen to have on hand, or leave them out entirely. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, you could also add chocolate, butterscotch, or cinnamon chips.
Mixing the cherries and pecans into the batter. Photo Credit : Aimee Seavey
Do you have a favorite pumpkin recipe that you look forward to making each fall? Do you skip the pumpkin and go straight for the ginger, peppermint, and eggnog? Let us know!
Aimee Tucker is Yankee Magazine’s Home Editor and the Senior Digital Editor of NewEngland.com. A lifelong New Englander and Yankee contributor since 2010, Aimee has written columns devoted to history, foliage, retro food, and architecture, and regularly shares her experiences in New England travel, home, and gardening. Her most memorable Yankee experiences to date include meeting Stephen King, singing along to a James Taylor Fourth of July concert at Tanglewood, and taking to the skies in the Hood blimp for an open-air tour of the Massachusetts coastline.
