Pumpkin Pecan Crunch Bread & Mini Muffins

I can’t believe it! Not only is Halloween done and dusted, but I am actually roasting a Thanksgiving turkey as I type! (Wish me luck because this is the first time I have ever attempted to roast a whole bird! I’ve only done breasts before and the whole thing is definitely a bit more cumbersome to say the least…) Where in the world did Fall go? You know, it is a very slippery slope from Thanksgiving to Christmas and I can feel us just picking up speed at this point. I had wanted to share all of these lovely Fall apple recipes with you, but it looks like that might have to wait until after Thanksgiving…which is happening now. Oh well, what can I say? Things here have been a bit crazed to say the least and one does what one can. I should probably focus on the positive. So I will say that I do have a lovely Thanksgiving Day recipe for you…Pumpkin Pecan Crunch Bread and Pumpkin Pecan Crunch Mini Muffins.

It is the same recipe, just different pans really. I like it prepared both ways. If you’re just hanging around with the family and are feeling rather relaxed and informal, the loaf pans are a bit less work. But I will say if you are making this for a get together, go with the mini muffins every time. Not only do they look adorable, but they are easier to manage in public than slicing a loaf of bread. Also, I should mention that the crunch-y, streusel-like topping has a tendency to break up and fall off of the full loaves more easily. And believe you me, you do not want to lose out on eating one crumb of that magical topping. It is completely addictive and really adds so much to this spicy, moist pumpkin bread. You just can’t get any better. Or so I thought… until I decided to drizzle a little bit of maple cream cheese glaze over the top! Mercy!

I originally found the recipe on Once Upon a Chef.  A great blog which you should definitely take a peek at if you haven’t already! The Chef actually only adds the crunchy pecan topping to her muffins, which she makes as full sized muffins rather than the mini ones that I’ve done here. Furthermore, she bakes her pumpkin loaves without the crunchy topping. It was me that decided to do the topping for both. And me that got a bit carried away and had to add that glaze drizzle. Gilding the lily a bit, I’ll admit, but I just couldn’t stop! If you have a bit more restraint than me, feel free to leave it off. You can even feel somewhat virtuous about it…But me? I’ll be the one licking the maple glaze bowl clean!

Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!

Pumpkin Pecan Crunch Bread & Mini Muffins

recipe adapted ever so slightly from: Once Upon a Chef

yield: two 4 1/2 x 8 loaves or 45 mini muffins

Ingredients:

For the Crunchy Topping:

• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• ¼ cup Demerara sugar
• ½ cup chopped pecans
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

For the Maple Cream Cheese Glaze: (optional)

• 3 Tablespoons Cream Cheese
• 2 Tablespoons Confectioner’s Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Maple Syrup

For the Muffins (or Loaves):

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1½ cups granulated sugar
• ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 1 15-ounce can 100% pure pumpkin (I use Libby’s)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray one mini muffin pan, or two 4 1/2 x 8″ loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray.

For Topping: Combine flour, butter, Demerara sugar, chopped pecans and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.

For Muffins: Combine flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium bowl and mix well. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar at low-speed until just blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; continue beating at medium speed until very light and fluffy, a few minutes. Add pumpkin and beat until combined, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Turn speed down to low and mix in flour mixture until just combined. Use an ice cream scoop to transfer batter to muffin pans, filling each muffin tin about ¾ full. Sprinkle topping evenly over batter. Bake for about 18-21 minute, or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool on rack for about 10 minutes, then turn out onto rack to cool completely (use a butter knife to lift them out of pan).

For Loaves:

Turn batter into prepared pans, dividing evenly. Sprinkle topping evenly over batter. Bake for about 65 – 75 minutes, or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Let loaves cool in pan about 10 minutes, then turn out on wire rack to cool completely.

For the Maple Cream Cheese Glaze:

Mix the cream cheese, sugar and maple syrup together until combined. Continue to stir until light and fluffy. Add a little milk or cream until mixture is of a consistency that can be drizzled. Drizzle over cooled loaves or muffins.

Enjoy!