Pumpkin Harvest Loaf with Walnuts and Chocolate
Fall is finally here in the U.S. The air has taken a crisp turn, apple orchards are buzzing, Oktoberfests are in full swing, and pumpkin season is at its peak. Baking has also picked up, especially anything with pumpkin, from pies to breads. It is the perfect time to bring cozy flavors into your kitchen.
In Zimbabwe, pumpkin is a staple ingredient, though it is often simply boiled or added to stews. We rarely explore its potential in baked goods. This loaf is a way to celebrate the pumpkin harvest and show just how versatile this humble vegetable can be. It turns naturally sweet and tender, creating a loaf that is comforting, fragrant, and perfect for fall.
This pumpkin loaf is lightly sweet, moist, and spiced. Walnuts and dark chocolate add texture and richness, while a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds on top gives a rustic, festive finish. You can enjoy it plain and warm, with butter and honey, or with a light drizzle of icing to control the sweetness. It is flexible, allowing you to adjust the flavors to your preference.
A good loaf of bread is essential in any home baker’s repertoire. This pumpkin harvest loaf is easy to make and works beautifully with fresh or canned pumpkin. It is a wonderful way to add warmth, seasonal flavor, and a little bit of indulgence to your fall baking lineup.
Pumpkin Harvest Loaf with Walnuts and Chocolate
A moist and lightly spiced pumpkin loaf perfect for fall. Packed with walnuts, dark chocolate, and topped with pumpkin seeds and turbinado sugar, this bread is perfect for breakfast, tea time, or a cozy snack.
Ingredients
- 1 and ½ cups pumpkin puree
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup honey or maple syrup (use sugar if you prefer it sweeter)
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 to 2 tablespoons milk (start with one; add more if the batter feels too thick)
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 and ½ cups white whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour
- 1 and ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds (plus extra for topping)
- ¼ cup dark chocolate, roughly chopped
- Turbinado sugar, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Line a loaf pan with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
- In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, eggs, honey, melted butter, sour cream, vanilla extract, and lemon juice until smooth. Do not add milk yet.
- In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, nutmeg, sugar, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until just combined. If the batter is too thick, stir in one to two tablespoons of milk to reach a smooth, slightly thick consistency. Do not overmix.
- Gently fold in chopped walnuts and roughly chopped dark chocolate.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle pumpkin seeds and a little turbinado sugar on top for crunch and sparkle.
- Place in the oven and bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the loaf cool slightly before slicing. Serve warm with butter, honey, or your favorite spiced glaze.
Notes
Tips and Serving Ideas
- For extra moisture, replace the sour cream with plain yogurt.
- Add a teaspoon of pumpkin spice blend instead of individual spices for convenience.
- If you prefer more sweetness, drizzle a simple icing made from powdered sugar and milk once the loaf cools.
- Toast a slice and spread with butter for an easy fall breakfast.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
225Fat (grams)
11 gCarbs (grams)
28 gFiber (grams)
2 gSugar (grams)
13 gProtein (grams)
5 gI am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on dontmissmyplate.com should only be used as a general guideline.
Cranberry Orange Rusks
Rusks, are a tradition in various parts of southern Africa. Credit for this version goes to the Afrikaaners of South Africa, who needed to preserve bread for long treks, hence the double baking preparation process. Also known as beskuit or cake rusks, these crunchy, semi-sweet treats make great gifts, and you can add raisins, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, or whatever else you like to the mix. They are perfect for dunking at tea time or on your coffee break, whether at 10 am before lunch or 4 pm before dinner.
One essential component when making rusks is buttermilk. The acid helps soften the bread/cake dough, and the cultures add a tang that isn't overwhelming.
I added cranberries and orange peel for this recipe to give them a festive, holiday season flare. The cranberries littered throughout the rusks offer a sweet, tangy bite white the orange provides a citrusy undertone, and we already know orange and cranberry pair well!
There is no need to get rusks at the store; you can make them at home on your own.
Cranberry Orange Rusks
Ingredients
- 8 cups self-raising flour
- 1 stick + 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries
- 3 tablespoons orange peel
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
Instructions
- In a large bowl whisk the flour, baking soda and salt well. Follow this with the cranberries and orange peel.
- Melt the butter in a small pot then add the sugar and whisk until the sugar has dissolved, remove from heat. Don't boil! You aren't trying to make caramel.
- Beat the egg, vanilla and almond into the buttermilk. Add both sets of liquid to the flour bowl and mix with a nonstick spatula until well combined.
- Transfer the mix to a greased baking dish and use the spatula to flatten in preparation for baking.
- Bake at 350F for 45 minutes. The cake rusk should have risen and a toothpick should come out clean from the center once it is done. Remove from the oven to cool.
- Once cooled, slice into 2.5cm L x 1.5cm W pieces. Depending on how thick you cut them, you’ll get about 50 rusks.
- Lay them on parchment-lined baking trays evenly spaced, and return to the oven but reduce the heat to 200F/93C. Dry them out or another 2 1/2 hours and check every 30 minutes until a cookie/biscuit texture.
- Keep in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
122Fat (grams)
2.6Carbs (grams)
22Sugar (grams)
6.6Protein (grams)
2.4I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on dontmissmyplate.com should only be used as a general guideline.
Veldt Bread with Masala Chai Tea Butter
There is nothing like warm, freshly made homemade bread!
Luckily, almost every culture and cuisine has a version of one of the oldest foods we know.
Since the dough is typically spiced, I made sure to use ingredients found in masala chai tea to give the bread some character with an Indian flavour profile. Also, instead of serving with regular butter, it made sense to spice that too, to complement and enhance the bread. Initially, I was going to make a chai buttercream drizzle, but butter really helps moisten the bread and gives it that buttery goodness!
Tip: Best consumed within 3-5 days. Heat for 20 seconds or toast and add butter.
This recipe was adapted from Paul DeLancey.
Veldt Bread with Masala Chai Tea Butter
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 egg
- 2/3 cups vanilla almond milk
- 8 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
- 2-3 black tea bags (I used English breakfast)
- 3/4 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 star anise
- Pinch of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar, and spices. Add the 4 tablespoons butter, milk, vanilla, and egg. In a mixing bowl with a kneading attachment, beat at a low speed for 5 minutes. If you do this by hand, mix to combine then turnover onto a surface and knead until smooth.
- Grease a loaf pan with butter and transfer the dough (you can also line with parchment paper). Smoothen with hands or a spatula and bake at 350F for 40-45 minutes and until a tooth pick comes out clean from the center. Your loaf will be pale white and dense.
- While the bread bakes, make your chai butter. Boil the water and add 2 tea bags with star anise. Remove from heat and steep for 10 minutes covered.
- Using a fork or small whisk mix the butter with 1 tea bag’s contents and the spices, then add 1.5 teaspoons brewed tea. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Allow the bread to cook for 10 minutes before removing from the pan. Serve HOT (it just tastes so much better this way!) with butter and extra maple syrup/honey.
Banana Papaya Bread with Pecan Streusel
How I love pawpaw's, or papayas — honestly not sure what the more common name is! I'm not quite sure how the tropical fruit made its way to Zimbabwe, but it's a beloved fruit over there. I think at one point; my family has a tree in the garden. I love papaya because it's highly refreshing and inherently sweet but in a subtle way. The water content is also pretty high, so that's good for you. Pawpaws (yes, I will use them interchangeably!) are a lot more versatile than I think people give it credit for; hence why I decided to pair them with banana and am so glad I did!
Banana bread is popular throughout the year. It became one of the most baked and searched for recipes during the quarantine, and with spring coming along this side of the hemisphere, there's no end in sight, and it's making a resurgence.
I decided to combine the classic banana bread, something I've always loved, with pawpaw -- one of my favourite fruits.
It's delicious great with a cup of tea or coffee, or you put a scoop of ice cream over it too or eat it as it is, maybe with a little bit of butter or whipped cream whatever your preference is, it's excellent.
I think the cherry on top for this recipe is the pecan streusel. The buttery, caramelized taste of the pecans mixed with dark brown sugar is to die for, and in some ways, similar to coffee cake. Regardless of what you eat it with, you will enjoy it!
Ingredients
1/2 large papaya mashed + 1/2 cup chopped (1 whole fruit should suffice)
1 1/4 sticks butter (10 tablespoons), melted
2 cups self-raising flour
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large banana, mashed
1/2 cup pecans, toasted and roughly chopped
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup light brown sugar
Streusel:
3/4 cup pecans, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and light brown sugar, set aside.
In a small bowl, mash and mix the half portion of the pawpaw, the banana, the vanilla, and the beaten eggs.
Toast and chop the pecans if they are not ready-to-go, mix them into the flour bowl with the chopped papaya, butter (10 tablespoons), and egg mixture. Combine well with a spatula.
While your batter rests for a few minutes, prepare your streusel. Mix the second batch of pecans with dark brown sugar, cinnamon, flour, and two tablespoons of butter.
Spray a loaf tin (9 inches by 4 inches - if you have the 8-inch tin, there will be leftover batter—you don’t want to fill it to be brim as the bread is going to rise and expand).
Spoon and spread your streusel on top of the batter. Try to distribute this evenly, then place the loaf pan on a baking tray (this will catch any spillage that may occur).
Bake for 60 minutes at 400F, checking periodically after at least 30 minutes have passed.
Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Serve warm with tea or coffee, and enjoy! Consume in 3-4 days or freeze airtight or wrapped in clear film for up to a month.
Raspberry Loaf with White Chocolate and Marscapone
It's not a secret that raspberries and white chocolate go together. If you're looking for a solid sweet loaf (not literally but as in guaranteed deliciousness) this is it!
You've got the acidity and tartness from the berries and the sweet, creaminess from the white chocolate and mascarpone cheese.
This loaf cake is also not overly rich. Some people find pound cakes to be overwhelming, but this doesn't have as much sugar as you might think to taste. You can also omit the icing, and it will still be right proper.
The loaf is on the filling side, so you'll want to save up space in your belly for when you eat it and freeze the rest. I recommend consuming within 3 days for the freshest taste!
Ingredients
1 cup raspberries + extra to garnish
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/4 cup white chocolate, chopped
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup goat milk
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese, room temperature (don't leave our for more than 4 hours)
Instructions
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar.
In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, vanilla, almond, lemon, milk, and oil.
Make a well in the dry mix and fold in the wet ingredients until
just combined - don't over mix!
Toss the raspberries in a bit of flour - this will help prevent them from totally sinking or disintegrating in the batter. Gently fold in them with the chopped white chocolate shards into the batter.
Pour the batter into an 8-inch by 5-inch loaf pan and bake at 350F for 1 hour. Set aside to cool. Loosen the cake loaf from the pan, then continue to cool on a wire rack.
In a separate bowl, melt the chocolate chips for 30 seconds in the microwave. Stir in the mascarpone. If it seems a little thick, microwave the mixture for 10-20 seconds (10 seconds at a time, keep checking) and stir to the desired consistency.
Spread over the cake loaf and garnish with white chocolate shards, raspberries, and icing sugar. Enjoy with tea or coffee!
Apple Butter Babka
The first time I tried to make babka at home several years later was a failure, as is the case for many first time bread makers! The dough wasn't fully baked all the way through and the braiding process tripped me up! That's the thing with babka, towards the end of the process you're working with soft, buttery dough logs with a filling which you have to slice and twist into something presentable. The finished result is beautiful, but you need to jump this hurdle! The great thing though is that it doesn't have to be perfect. I take the free form route and find using a baking sheet is easier than working it into a loaf pan for instance. I also don't feel pressure to create a babka wreath - but I challenge you if you have the will!
As for the filling - which is usually cinnamon, chocolate, butter and turbinado sugar among other things - I used apple babka. This recipe takes a seasonal twist and serves those of you who have a surplus of apples.
What is apple butter? In short, apples cooked in spices and juice until they caramelize. It's delicious, lasts longer than apple sauce, and can be used for a variety of things. Try it out, it's super easy, and you don't need a slow cooker.
Apple Butter Babka
I discovered this sweet braided bread when I moved to New York City in 2010. It was one of my favourite treats after one of those tough college days. There are loaves in Trader Joe's where I regularly shopped as well, but the best in the city, in my opinion, was from Moishe's, a Jewish bakery not too far from St Mark's Place. I was obsessed.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 cup orange or apple juice
- 4 apples (I used a mix of tart and sweet)
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon cloves
- 2/3 cups water
- 2 egg yolks + 1 egg, beaten (halve this mixture)
- 1/2 cup milk, warmed (I used almond milk)
- 1 1/8 teaspoons active yeast
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- Egg wash
- Cinnamon sugar, chopped pecans, and turbinado sugar to garnish
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange or grapefruit juice or zest
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup (optional)
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
- Peel, decore, and dice the apples, place them in a large nonstick pot. Add the juice and spices then bring to a boil.
- Add the water and close with a lid, reduce to simmer for about 2 hours and stir regularly to make sure the apples don't burn!
- Add more water if your apples need more time, you want them to soften to the point that they mash easily.
- Remove from heat and cool completely or rest overnight.
- Transfer the apples to a blender or food processor and pulse until a thick apple sauce-like texture forms.
- Store for up to 3 weeks in an airtight container!
- In a small bowl, mix the yeast into the warm milk and set aside for 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, add the egg mix, sugar, maple syrup, almond extract, vanilla, and yeast mix, then whisk. Add the flour in two parts, and mix until incorporated.
- Add the butter gradually, and bring the dough together. Cover with a towel for 30 minutes.
- On a floured surface, knead the dough until smooth, then halve into two equal pieces. Place both in bowls and clover with cling wrap, set aside for 2 hours at room temperature. Your dough will increase in size.
- Move onto a floured surface and roll out the dough into a rectangle shape, not too thin!
- Spread the apple butter evenly across the rectangle, leaving about an inch around the border, then carefully roll lengthwise into a log (seam face down). Repeat for the second piece of dough.
- Carefully slice each log vertically (seam face down). Braid the four pieces into your desired shape, and tuck in the ends underneath. Carefully transfer to a baking sheet - I used two spatulas!
- Cover with a towel and rest for 30 minutes.
- Brush the babka with egg wash and garnish with cinnamon sugar, pecans, and turbinado sugar.
- Bake at 375F for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through, keep a close eye.
- While the babka is baking, make the simple syrup. Bring the water and sugar to a boil, then add the citrus and corn syrup. Simmer for another minute on low heat, then remove from stovetop.
- Brush hot babka with the syrup then set aside to cool. Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Calories
356Fat (grams)
84.78 gCarbs (grams)
464.38 gProtein (grams)
50.2 gI am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on dontmissmyplate.com should only be used as a general guideline.
Quick Cornbread
This is a basic and quick recipe you can whip up if you need a side for your weeknight stew or soup. You can adjust things slightly to suit your preferences and still get good results.
Quick Cornbread
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 1/3 cup butter, melted
- 1 1/2 cups cornmeal, coarsely ground
- 1/2 cup corn kernels (optional)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, cornmeal, salt, sugar, and baking soda together until evenly mixed.
- In a separate bowl, beat the egg with the milk and vanilla, add to the dry ingredients. Mix until the batter is smooth.
- Add the butter and corn kernels or creamed corn, mix until well incorporated.
- Bake at 400F for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean in the center - you may need an extra 5-10 minutes. Set aside to cool before slicing.
- Serve warm with butter and honey.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
205Fat (grams)
7.8 gCarbs (grams)
29.7 gSugar (grams)
4.6 gProtein (grams)
4.9 gI am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on dontmissmyplate.com should only be used as a general guideline.
