BY CASSANDRA HAMMERSTONE
November 2023
Maybe you've seen me standing in the baking aisle the week before Thanksgiving, worrying about buying enough cans of pumpkin puree. Do I need two? Three? Well, let's just buy four to make sure there's plenty. Which is how it came to be that I make a pumpkin bread just about every week in December.
Not long ago, when I reached into the spice cabinet to collect cinnamon and clove, I found myself holding the jar of cardamom and paused... Pumpkin pie spice evolves into the traditional spice combination of Chai tea with the addition of, most notably, the warm citrus notes of cardamom.
So wouldn’t it be interesting to bring the flavors of traditional chai tea to this seasonal bread? And with the leftover topping I had in the freezer from making Berry Crumble all summer, this pumpkin chai bread that feels like the perfect Autumn coffee cake was born.
Like every traditional quick bread, there’s no need to bring out special equipment. Whisk together the dry ingredients and spices in one bowl, wet ingredients in another. Then bring them all together and fold in a can of pumpkin puree. A quick note on butter: I always bake with salted butter, and that’s how I’ve written this recipe. If you use unsalted, just add an extra pinch.
Pumpkin pie spice evolves into the traditional spice combination of Chai tea with the addition of, most notably, the warm citrus notes of cardamom.
Top with a cup of crumble topping. You’ll find detailed instructions in my recipe for Summer Berry Crumble, and I list out the ingredients below. Admittedly, you’ll have more than you need, but it freezes beautifully. You’ll be excited the next time you want to make this, and the crumble topping is already done. Bake in a 350° oven for one hour, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
My favorite way to enjoy this bread is to warm a slice and spread lots of really good butter and local raw honey. I hope this recipe makes it into your baking rotation this holiday season.
pumpkin chai Spice bread with crumble topping
Season: Autumn, Winter
Serves: 8-12
Crumble Topping Ingredients
¾ cup all purpose flour
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1½ sticks chilled salted butter
Bread Ingredients
2 cups flour or 240 grams
1 cup brown sugar, packed
½ tsp baking soda
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp clove
½ tsp cardamom
1 tsp salt
¼ cup salted butter, melted
2 large eggs
¼ cup whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 can (14 oz) pumpkin puree
PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper and butter or non-stick spray.
For the crumble topping, add the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar and cinnamon to a food processor and pulse briefly to combine. Cube the butter and pulse it into the dry ingredients until it’s combined and a sandy texture. In a large bowl, press it together with your hands until it comes together in pebbles. Set it aside in the refrigerator to keep cool.
For the bread, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, clove, cardamom and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter, eggs, milk and vanilla extract. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and fold in the pumpkin puree.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and top with the crumble topping. Bake at 350° for one hour or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 30 minutes before removing from the pan.
Did you make this recipe? Tag us at #saltzest to share!
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