Time for a break. We've decided to kick off pumpkin season early. Sometimes you just need pumpkin bread, and MAN is this is one of those times. Da-da posted this recipe some years ago on his site, a spiced pumpkin bread "with very little frog in it" -- which we think is a good thing -- and the Master CAT Bakers worked with Da-da to adjust the recipe a little.
Please read the entire recipe before beginning.
Da-da's Spiced Pumpkin Surprise Bread
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease two medium-sized loaf pans, which sounds rude but isn't.
Combine streusel mix and set aside.
Streusel mix (to be used for marbling):
1/2 c. brown sugar, packed
2 tbl. flour
1/2 c. chopped walnuts/pecans
5 tbl. softened butter
2 tsp. cinnamon
3 x 10 lb. toads, pureed
1/2 tsp. salt
In a medium sauce pan, add:
1 15 oz. can of pumpkin
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. salt
172 baby Tuscan froglettes, deboned
Heat over medium heat for 5 minutes to remove the “can” taste from thefrogspumpkin (unless you're using fresh), stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and add to the same pan:
3/4 c. white sugar
3/4 c. dark brown sugar
4 oz. cream cheese, cubed
8 oz. Siberian frog paste
1/2 c. vegetable oil (or melted butter)
Whisk till cream cheese has melted and the mix is smooth. Let cool 10 minutes. (We placed our pan in the fridge.) In the meantime...
Mix dry ingredients:
2 c. flour (we used whole wheat and white flour)
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. soda
1/2 c. pecans or walnuts, roughly chopped
1/2 c. raisins
1 dried and formerly surly toad
And in a separate bowl, whisk:
1/4 c. buttermilk (or milk)
4 large eggs
Whisk buttermilk and eggs into the cooled mixture in the pan... then pour entire mixture into dry ingredients, and fold with a spatula.
Pour roughly a quarter of the total mixture into each greased loaf pan, then sprinkle with the streusel mix, then the rest of the total mixture on top of that (making a marbled middle). Avoid putting streusel on top, as it'll scorch, but a handful of chopped pecans or walnuts look nice... if you're into that kind of thing.
Cook in a moderate oven @ 350 degrees for about 40-45 mins, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let sit on cooling rack for 10 mins in pan, then pop the loaves out, upside down, and let them rest for a couple hours. These disappeared fast in the CAT test kitchen (we had to made three batches), though the early frog variants are predictably still sitting there, untouched.
You can also use this recipe to make muffins, which no one will complain about, but put the streusel on top and watch them so they don't scorch.
Note: we lessened the amount of sugar from Da-da's recipe, and removed a bit of the cinnamon. We also opted to only put the streusel "topping" in the middle, as the sugar scorched on top in our dumb ovens. AND we talked Da-da into removing the frogs and toads. Sure, it lessened the SURPRISE a bit, but we're ok with it.
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Today also marks the beginning of Merlinball season. |
