Pumpkin Bread with Brown Butter Maple Icing

Pumpkin bread is one of those warming, comforting carbs that I simply cannot resist. Whether it’s topped with a glaze, studded with nuts, or plain nekkid, I love it any which way and prefer a thick slice for breakfast with my coffee. 

This bread is perfectly fluffy and moist without being too wet, has a soft and tender crumb, and is topped with the best brown butter maple glaze that drips down over the top of this well-spiced loaf.

Perfectly spiced, moist and tender, this Pumpkin Bread will soon become a family favorite! Leave it naked if you wish, or stud it with nuts - however, I prefer mine with this simple brown butter maple glaze. I'm sure you will, too!

INGREDIENTS

• ½ cup butter, softened (I used Land O Lakes)
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (the puree, NOT pumpkin pie filling!)
• 2 eggs
• 1 & ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 & ½ cups all-purpose flour

For Glaze:

• ½ cup (1 stick) butter
• 1 - 1 & ½ cups powdered sugar (start with one cup and add more if glaze is too runny)
• 1-2 Tbsp maple syrup
• ¼ cup milk, optional if glaze is too thick

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally grease a 9" loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a bowl combine all of the above bread ingredients and beat at medium speed with a handheld mixer, scraping down the sides of the bowl, until well-mixed.
3. Pour the bread mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for approx. 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out mostly clean or with a couple moist crumbs (not wet). Cool for about 15 minutes, then very gently remove from pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
4. While bread cools, make your glaze: in a small saucepan, heat butter over medium-low heat until melted. Continue cooking, watching butter carefully, until it sizzles and begins to turn amber in color, about 4-5 minutes. Do not overcook because it can quickly burn! When butter looks caramel-colored and smells kind of nutty, it's done. Remove butter from heat and cool completely. Then stir in the powdered sugar and maple syrup until a soft glaze has formed.
5. Please visit Pumpkin Bread with Brown Butter Maple Icing for full instructions.