sweet miscellany

The day after Halloween, bleary-eyed thanks to the time change, I traveled with a friend to Lavaca County to visit The Herb Cottage. It was a lovely opportunity to get out of the city, enjoy the simple symphony of the wind rustling through the trees, and wander around with my camera. The owner Cindy is a wealth of knowledge so it was a nice opportunity to nerd out over herbs and native plants. I highly recommend going for a visit so you can enjoy the beautiful setting and perhaps pick up some transplants for your garden, too! She has a variety of culinary and medicinal herbs in addition to native plants and succulents. You’ll also get to visit with Mr. White who can be seen in a couple of the photos. Information on visiting can be found here.

Butternut Bread with Pecan Streusel | gluten free and dairy free recipe via the sweet miscellany blog

Traditional warmly-spiced pumpkin bread gets a makeover with roasted butternut squash puree and a pecan streusel topping. This gluten free and dairy free bread is the perfect autumnal and winter treat!

Did you know that butternuts make a flavorful puree that can be used in place of the standard pumpkin puree? It’s incredibly easy to make your own and use it in your favorite recipes, like this butternut bread with pecan streusel! This recipe was inspired by a basket full of locally grown butternut squash and my ever-present craving for a slice of pumpkin bread. If you don’t want to make the butternut puree, feel free to use canned pumpkin puree in its place!

How about an appetizer before we get to the recipe? Consider it an ode to the lovely butternut squash:

Beige-hued squashes grown under the warmth of the sun
Harvested and cured for the brisk days ahead
Carved adeptly with a sharp knife
The amber flesh is roasted
Until buttery and sweet
Easily it yields to the touch
And swiftly it becomes an amalgam
Of sun and warmth and sugars
Improved only by sweet spices
And enjoyed as the crisp air laps at your cheeks

Butternut Bread with Pecan Streusel

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Author: Courtney
Total Time: 60-70 minutes
Yield: 1 loaf 1x

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Description

Ingredients

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for the streusel topping

40g all purpose gluten-free flour mix
30g cane sugar
25g toasted and chopped pecans
30g cold vegan butter

for the bread

250g all purpose gluten-free flour mix (I prefer this one)
175g cane sugar
3 tsp baking powder
2 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
heaped 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
330g butternut squash puree (see notes)
50g olive oil or melted coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs

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Instructions

Make the streusel by mixing together the flour, sugar, and pecans in a small bowl. Mash in the butter until it looks crumbly. Set the bowl in the fridge to keep the streusel cold while you prep the bread.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a standard loaf pan. I use a pullman loaf pan because it works better for gluten free breads but you can also make it work in a regular loaf pan! Set the pan aside.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butternut puree, oil, vanilla, and eggs until smooth. Add the wet to the dry and mix until smooth and thick. Don’t worry about over-mixing because we’re working with gluten-free flour!

Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan, smoothing it out with a spatula if needed. Remove the streusel from the fridge and sprinkle it in an even layer over the top of the batter. Bake the bread in your pre-heated 350 degree oven for 50-60 minutes or until a tester inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean.

For the best texture, cool at least one hour before slicing and enjoying. Makes 1 standard loaf or approximately 10-12 slices.

Notes

Butternut squash puree is usually sold in well-stocked grocery stores during the fall and winter months. To make your own butternut squash puree, slice your squashes in half and place them cut side down on a lined baking sheet. Roast at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes or until the flesh is very soft. Cool, then separate the flesh from the skin and seeds. Puree the flesh in a blender or food processor before using in the recipe.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50-60 minutes