How can we make pumpkin bread even better? By adding swirls of Nutella! Nutella Pumpkin Bread is a new take on a classic tradition – and the perfect way to celebrate fall!
Guys. Guys. I can barely contain my excitement for today’s post. It’s time for October’s Quick Bread of the Month, and I have something really new and exciting.
It’s definitely unique and not at all overdone and expected this time of year. Are you ready? It’s… pumpkin bread!
Ha, ha. I know, I know. Pumpkin bread in October is basically as boring as it gets. I’m not a fan of the #basic trend, but if there was ever a reason to use the basic hashtag, pumpkin bread in October is probably it.
At least I’m not writing this post while wearing tall boots, a plaid shirt, and a puffy vest?
I wasn’t going to share this Nutella pumpkin bread as part of my 2016 Quick Bread of the Month series. I had a different quick bread in mind for this month, mostly because pumpkin-in-October is just so dang overdone.
The world is missing lots of things, but another pumpkin bread recipe isn’t one of them. But then I made this bread for a weeklong trip with friends, and it was just so good. Everyone loved it. I tried, but I couldn’t keep it to myself.
So, here we go. I hope the world has room for one more pumpkin bread recipe – one filled with beautiful swirls of delicious Nutella. I think we can handle it.
The Nutella in this Nutella Pumpkin Bread is really the “icing on the cake,” if you will. But even the best icing can’t save a bad cake! So we need to start with an excellent pumpkin bread as the base! The recipe is based on my chocolate chip pumpkin bread, but it’s a little richer, denser, and more splurge-worthy.
It’s packed full of pumpkin (an entire cup!). Cinnamon and nutmeg provide the “spice” flavors we associate with pumpkin. And my favorite part about this cake (besides the swirls of Nutella, of course)? It’s a one-bowl, mix-by-hand, kind of cake!
We’re able to mix this by hand because the fat in the cake comes in the form of oil, not butter. In addition to making this easier to mix, oil also results in more moist pumpkin bread. Why is this? It’s time for my favorite subject… kitchen chemistry!
Kitchen Chemistry
Because vegetable oil is liquid at room temperature, compared to butter which solidifies, baked goods made with vegetable oil will be moister. Furthermore, because oil is 100% fat (compared to butter, which is about 15% water), bread or cake made with oil will also be more tender, as there is less water to interact with and strengthen the gluten.
If cakes made with oil are more tender and moist, why don’t we always use oil? Because butter often has a better flavor, especially for vanilla cakes. In this case, the pumpkin and spices are carrying the flavor, so we don’t need to rely on butter to enhance the taste!
Obviously, this wouldn’t be a Nutella pumpkin bread without the Nutella!
We’re going to include Nutella swirled into the middle of the batter and again on the top. Why just include Nutella in one place when we can include it in two?!
If your Nutella is a little dense and hard to swirl, heat it up in the microwave for 15-20 seconds. We want a nice, smooth texture – perfect to swirl!
Layer half the pumpkin bread batter in the prepared baking pan, then add dollops of Nutella. Use a knife to gently swirl the pumpkin batter and Nutella. Top with the remaining batter and repeat.
Because this bread is extra moist and tender (thank you, vegetable oil!), it lasts well for several days before starting to taste stale!
Store your pumpkin bread in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, no refrigeration necessary.
Or wrap the whole loaf or leftover slices in plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Pull out a slice, defrost it at room temperature or in the microwave, and voila! Instant Nutella pumpkin bead whenever you want it. Dreams do come true.
How can we make pumpkin bread even better? By adding swirls of Nutella!
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