Cranberry Walnut Pumpkin Bread

I have the hardest time throwing out magazines. When I get the "bug" to clean and organize what always happens is that I wind up flipping through the magazines I haven't seen in a while... finding a recipe that sounds good... decide I can't live without the magazine..and keep it. Again! You know that feeling? I have an especially hard time with Martha Stewart's magazines...she has so much fun stuff to read about and learn...you just never know when you'll need that article for the best way to clean this...or how to make the cutest that! And those photos..oh, those georgous photos!

Anywho... this very scenerio led me to this recipe. And, finding at least 3 cans of pumpkin puree in my cabinet sealed the deal! There's probably more hiding way in the back. I got a little carried away Holiday time I guess.

I came across this Pumpkin Bread recipe in an October 2003 issue of Bon Appetit and thought it would be a great way to downsize my canned pumpkin collection. This bread is calls for butter, rather than oil, and it's very moist and the hefty addition of spices give it a wonderful flavor.

Great for afternoon tea..when you're poring over those older issues! Happy Weekending!

Whisk the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat butter til fluffy, then gradually add the sugar, then beat in the eggs, one at a time.

Then add the pumpkin puree, then the vanilla.

Beat in the buttermilk alternately with the dry ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry.

Stir in the walnuts and dried cranberries...

And pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the top with a tablespoon of sugar (I admit, I forgot to do this).

Bake for approx. 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Cranberry Walnut Pumpkin Bread ( from Bon Appetit, October 2003)

Makes 1 loaf

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a 9 1/4" x 5 1/4" x 3" loaf pan.

2 cups AP flour

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice ( Made your own by combining 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. ginger, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg, 1/4 tsp. allspice or cloves)
1 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

6 tbsp. unsalted butter, room temp.

1 cup sugar, plus 1 tbsp. for topping

2 large eggs

1 cup canned pure pumpkin

1 tsp. vanilla

2/3 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

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Preheat oven to 350. Grease and lightly flour loaf pan.

1. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, spices, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Set aside.

2. Im mixer bowl, beat butter til fluffy, gradually adding the 1 cup sugar and beat til blended.

3. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.

4. Beat in the pumpkin, then the vanilla.

5. Beat in the buttermilk alternately with the flour mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

6. Stir in the cranberries and walnuts and pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, sprinkling the tablespoon of sugar over the top.

7. Bake for approx. one hour and 10 minutes, or til a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool bread in pan on rack 15 minutes. Remove from loaf pan and cool completely on rack before cutting. As with breads of this kind, it only improves with age. ( I can relate to that!)