Simple Pumpkin Rye Bread with Cinnamon Sugar Topping

There are certain recipes in my baking rotation that take me straight to a particular season, maybe even evoke a desired mood or feeling state. Pumpkin bread is just that sort of thing. It is the essence of fall, of comfort, of feeling cared for and loved. Maybe it's the combination of warm spices (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves) we associate with autumn or the delightful aroma that wafts through the kitchen while the bread is in the oven. Or maybe it's the way pumpkin puree magically creates the moistest quick bread imaginable. To me, this Simple Pumpkin Rye Bread with Cinnamon Sugar Topping is the gateway to that cozy autumn feeling we all long for come September.

This rye variation of pumpkin bread is adapted from Smitten Kitchen's Pumpkin Bread recipe because it is HANDS DOWN the best I've made. This is a tall, impressive loaf that rivals the sort of thing you might find at your local coffee shop. The rye flour adds a welcome but subtle earthiness to the loaf along with bringing those Nordic vibes (rye is the quintessential grain of the Scandinavian region).

Looking for more simple Scandinavian-inspired bakes? Try these Brown Sugar Cardamom Scones, this delicious Cardamom Banana Bread or these Easy Baked Apple Donuts! Love cooking with fall produce? Don't miss my full roundup of Nordic-inspired squash and pumpkin recipes, from soups to salads to cozy bakes and savory tarts.

The Ingredients

This is such an easy recipe, and as long as you have a can of pumpkin puree in the pantry, you probably already have everything you need to make it. A few of the highlights:

• A mix of rye flour and all purpose flour. Rye flour brings earthy flavor and a soft texture, while all purpose flour brings structure in the form of a higher protein content. Rye flour is a pantry staple in my kitchen but perhaps you don't have rye flour in your kitchen? No problem. Simply substitute all-purpose or whole wheat flour for the rye.
• Canola oil instead of melted butter. Not only is canola oil a pantry staple, it makes an exceptionally moist and tender bread. In some cases, you might miss the buttery flavor but in a loaf like this with BIG pumpkin flavor, you won't miss it.

• Course (turbinado) sugar mixed with cinnamon and sprinkled over the top. This creates a crisp, crackly, craggy crust that is just the right counterpoint to the soft interior.

The Method

Quick breads and muffins have their own mixing method known as (you guessed it...) the quick bread or muffin method. Basically, dry ingredients and wet ingredients are combined separately and then gently mixed together prior to baking. I've got just a couple of tips and tricks for ensuring that your Simple Pumpkin Rye Bread with Cinnamon Sugar Topping is the best it can be every time:

• Don't over mix the dry and wet ingredients at the end. This is probably the biggest pitfall of the quick bread method. Over mixing leads to a tough, dry final product and tunneling (large pockets of air or tunnels) in the crumb. A gentle hand with a rubber spatula is best. Simply combine the wet and dry ingredients until just a few streaks of flour remain.
• Be sure to check the doneness of the loaf with a skewer. This is a big, impressive loaf, and it takes awhile to bake. Poking a skewer into the center of the loaf is the only way to know for sure that it is done. The skewer should come out clean or with a few crumbs attached.

Want Muffins Instead?

Yes, muffins and quickbreads share a method and you can choose whichever version you like for this recipe! Everything remains the same with the exception of the baking time and a little extra turbinado sugar for the tops of the muffins. See the notes in the recipe below for details.

More Fall Recipes to Try

Looking for more autumn favorites? Give these a try:

Please, before fall slips into winter, make this Simple Pumpkin Rye Bread with Cinnamon Sugar Topping. It would be a perfect little extra to have around over the Thanksgiving weekend when everyone is wondering what's for breakfast and you are elbow-deep in dinner preparations or are too tired to care. And if you give it a try, please let me know! I always love hearing from you.

Recipe

Pumpkin Rye Bread with Cinnamon Sugar Topping

A deliciously moist and simple pumpkin bread made with rye flour.  A perfect autumn breakfast or afternoon treat!

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 9 slices (one 9x5 loaf)

Calories: 406kcal

Author: Kristi

Ingredients

For the Bread:

• 1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup rye flour
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 15- ounce can pumpkin puree
• ½ cup canola or vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ⅔ cup light brown sugar packed

For the Cinnamon Sugar Topping:

• 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a standard 9x5 inch loaf pan with butter or coat with nonstick spray.  Combine all purpose flour, rye flour, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, baking powder and baking soda together in a medium bowl.  Whisk to combine.
2. In a large bowl, combine pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, eggs, granulated sugar and brown sugar.  Whisk until mixture is smooth and fully combined.
3. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients.  Mix gently with a rubber spatula until the batter just comes together.  Transfer batter to the prepared loaf pan.
4. Make the CInnamon Sugar Topping: Combine the turbinado sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over the top of the loaf.  Bake until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached, about 65-75 minutes.  When cool enough to handle, tip the loaf out onto to a wire rack to finish cooling.  Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen's Pumpkin Bread

Want to make muffins instead?  Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease with butter or coat with nonstick spray.  Fill each muffin cup with batter, almost to the top.  Add 1 extra tablespoon of turbinado sugar to the CInnamon Sugar Topping.  Sprinkle the tops of the muffins evenly with the topping.  Bake until golden brown and a skewer inserted in the center of the muffins comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes.  There is enough batter for about 14-15 muffins so feel free to make another 2 or 3 after the first batch comes out of the oven.

Nutrition

Calories: 406kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 449mg | Potassium: 207mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 43g | Vitamin A: 7923IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 2mg

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Course: Fika

Cuisine: Nordic, Scandinavian