Pumpkin Apple Bread

Sometimes when I'm doing my fall baking, I like to pretend I'm Amish.  I'm not sure why because I really like all of the amenities of life in the 21st century.  I think it must have something to do with how cozy Amish life sometimes appears:  with the candlelight and buggies and the big families getting together to eat all of that delicious food.  And fall is just a cozy season, don't you think?  This pumpkin apple bread was the first fall baking that I've done and I loved that it made our house smell like fall!  I've never made anything with apples and pumpkin together, but I think the blended flavors epitomize everything I love about fall baking.  Enjoy!

Pumpkin Apple Bread

for the topping

1 Tbsp flour

5 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened

for the bread

3 cups flour

3/4 tsp salt

2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 (15 oz) can solid-pack pumpkin

3/4 cup vegetable oil

2 1/4 cups sugar

4 eggs, lightly beaten

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped (about 2 cups)

Make the topping:  Blend together flour, sugar, cinnamon, and butter in a small bowl with your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Make the bread:  Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon into a medium bowl*.  Whisk together pumpkin, oil, sugar, and eggs in a large bowl.  Add the dry ingredients, stirring until well combined.  Fold in apples.

Divide batter between two buttered 9x5" loaf pans.  Sprinkle half of the topping evenly over each loaf.  Bake at 350 degrees until a toothpick inserted in center of bread comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes.

Cool loaves in pans on a rack for 45 minutes, then turn out onto rack and cool completely, about 1 hour.  This bread keeps, wrapped in plastic wrap and foil and refrigerated, for up to 1 week.  It can also be frozen for up to 1 month.

*Note:  I eliminated the remaining spices in the bread due to personal preference.  If you like a spicier pumpkin bread, add 1 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ground cloves, and 1/4 tsp ground allspice to the dry ingredients.

source:  recipe from The Gourmet Cookbook