Description
Hearty pioneer woman pumpkin banana bread combines autumn’s warmest spices with classic comfort. Sweet banana and rich pumpkin merge in one delectable loaf you’ll savor until the last crumb.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups (375 g / 13.2 oz) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200 g / 7 oz) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100 g / 3.5 oz) lightly packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup (240 g / 8.5 oz) canned pumpkin puree
- 1 cup (240 g / 8.5 oz) mashed ripe banana
- ⅔ cup (160 ml / 5.4 fl oz) vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup (100 g / 3.5 oz) chopped pecans
- 2 tsps (10 g / 0.35 oz) baking soda
- 1 ½ tsps (4 g / 0.14 oz) cinnamon
- 1 tsp (6 g / 0.21 oz) kosher salt
- ¾ tsp (2 g / 0.07 oz) ginger
- ½ tsp (2.5 g / 0.09 oz) baking powder
- ½ tsp (1.5 g / 0.05 oz) cloves
- ¼ tsp (0.75 g / 0.03 oz) freshly grated nutmeg
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease two 8×4 or 9×5-inch loaf pans with cooking spray or butter, ensuring complete coverage.
- Dry Ingredient Blend: Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until spices are evenly distributed, creating a uniform dry mixture.
- Wet Ingredient Fusion: In a separate bowl, whisk granulated sugar, brown sugar, vegetable oil, and eggs until smooth. Fold in pumpkin puree and mashed banana, stirring until the mixture achieves a consistent golden color and creamy texture.
- Batter Assembly: Gently incorporate dry ingredients into wet mixture, using light folding motions to prevent dense texture. Fold in chopped pecans during the final mixing stage, ensuring minimal disruption to the batter’s airiness.
- Baking Process: Divide batter evenly between prepared loaf pans, smoothing surfaces with a spatula. Bake for 50-55 minutes, rotating pans midway through cooking. Confirm doneness by inserting a toothpick—it should emerge with minimal moist crumbs.
- Cooling and Serving: Allow loaves to rest in pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely before slicing to maintain optimal moisture and structural integrity.
Notes
- Measure Precisely: Use exact measurements for flour, spices, and other ingredients to ensure consistent texture and flavor in every loaf.
- Ripe Banana Magic: Select overripe bananas with dark spots for maximum sweetness and deeper banana flavor that enhances the bread’s moisture.
- Spice Balance Matters: Freshly ground spices or recently purchased ground spices will provide a more vibrant and robust flavor profile compared to older, stale spices.
- Cooling Technique: Allow the bread to cool completely on a wire rack to prevent soggy bottoms and maintain the ideal crumb structure.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 25 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg