PUMPKIN BEER-BREAD
Adapted via Slate
Serves: 14 to 16

Ingredients:
♦ Butter for greasing the pan
♦ 3 cups all-purpose flour (8.5 oz)
♦ 1 cup whole-wheat flour (8 oz)
♦ 2 tsp baking powder
♦ 1 tsp baking soda
♦ 1 tsp salt
♦ 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
♦ 1 tsp ground ginger
♦ 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
♦ 1/4 tsp ground allspice
♦ 6 tbsp unsalted butter
♦ 2 cups pumpkin purée
♦ 2 cups brown sugar*
♦ 4 large eggs, room temperature
♦ 1 (12-oz) bottle pumpkin ale

* I recommend making your own “brown sugar” – process 2 cups granulated sugar with 2 tbsp unsulphered molasses

Directions:
Bake the bread: Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch loaf pan. Combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice in a large bowl.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat (or in a medium bowl in the microwave). Remove from the heat. Stir in the pumpkin and brown sugar, then stir in the eggs. Finally, stir in the pumpkin ale. Add the pumpkin mixture to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined, then transfer the batter to the greased pan.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool thoroughly, then slice and serve. (Note: Leftover pumpkin bread can be wrapped in foil or plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to a few days)

Serve pumpkin bread with Bacon Jam at room temperature.

To read more about this dish and my musical pairing, click HERE.