Just a little pat of butter
By Katherine
Darn this was good. Molasses, chocolate, pecans and of course the ingredient of the season, pumpkin! We hear there’s a shortage so take heart, this only uses half a can. That’s right I used canned. We still have a few clearance cans from last Thanksgiving. I used a hard cider, the fizzy alcoholic kind, but if you don’t have some on hand just use the nonbubbly, nonalcoholic version. Greg’s face sort of fell when I used half a cup of the cider he brought me to make a baked good. He was happy with the results. If you don’t like chocolate, I know some of you are out there, feel free to use raisins, which are verboten in our house.
Pumpkin bread
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1/2 cider (flat or fizzy)
- 1 egg
- 1 cup white flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- pinch ground cloves
- 1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate
- 1/cup coarsely chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 350 and grease a loaf pan or muffin tin. Mix flours, baking powder and spices in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl whisk together brown sugar, molasses, butter, cider, pumpkin and egg until well incorporated. Add all at once to dry ingredients. Stir until just incorporated. Fold in chocolate and pecans. Pour in loaf pan. Cook until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about an hour. Cool before slicing.
Hungry for more sweet pumpkin recipes? How about the whole wheat pumpkin pancakes over at Savoring Every Bite? Or the Thai spiced pumpkin soup at Pease Pudding? Or the autum trifle or pumpkin cookies with orange buttercream frosting over at Sweet Caroline’s Cooking? Or the spiced pumpkin buttermilk biscuits over at Sweet Pea’s Kitchen? She has more pumpkin recipes than you can shake a stick at. We also love the grown up pumpkin pie milkshakes over at Pure Complex. There are just way too many great pumpkin recipes out there to mention, so if you’ve seen one I didn’t include, feel free to share the link.
Rufus' Food and Spirits Guide 
That looks FABulous! I love pumpkin bread with pecans (and raisins). 😀
Pecans are always in our cabinet.
I love the addition of chocolate- nice recipe!
It led me to a discovery, I’m not the only one that sneaks it. Greg does. We were almost out and I swear we just bought some.
Yup I’m that one person who doesn’t like chocolate, so I would definitely use raisins. I’m such a weirdo. But anyways, this bread sounds fantastic! Thanks so much for the shout outs on my pumpkin posts. 🙂
I was thinking of Kristy when I wrote that, but now you’re also on the weirdo list, ha.
It’s quite the exclusive list. 😀
This sounds incredible!
Thanks!
You know how I am about chocolate Katherine.. lol. But then gain you know how I am about bread lol. But despite that, I will give this a try. But adding the chocolate is brilliant! Definitely got me hooked 😉
And the alcohol is totally optional, see we think of you! This is more like a muffin, not bread.
You had me at ‘molasses’ and then nailed it closed with ‘alcohol.’
Such a classic combo, molasses and booze, oh wait…
Can I have a piece of this bread for tomorrow’s breakfast? Pretty, pretty please?? I might dream about this tonight … and all of those other tasty pumpkin recipes. Seriously.
I swear Sweet Pea has enough on her site alone to write a pumpkin dessert book!
Lovely! I buy canned pumpkin on clearance after Thanksgiving and stock my pantry. It makes me happy to have pumpkin all year long.
We had some that were 29 cents from last year!
Looks great! (And I agree about the raisins)
Ha, thanks!
raisins for me are also a no no, but I think with this recipe they would be great 🙂
I can go either way on them, which is good because Greg only goes one way on them!
fruit based bread is always made better with chocolate.
Except maybe cranberry, oh cranberries and chocolate!
I think I could devour that entire loaf.
Ha, take half. I’ll take the other half. Greg can make a second loaf!
How deliciously fall-y! Must have made the house smell so cozy while it was in the oven…
Almost as nice as apples, almost!
Love it! There’s no more to say…
Aww, thanks!
That pumpkin bread sounds great! I like that it has molasses and dark chocolate!
Thanks, Nancy!
this looks so good! i bet the molasses and pumpkin together make it so soft and rich
It was so soft, which just meant I had to cut thicker slices.
For me, pumpkin is fall in every bite. This sounds very, very good!
Thanks, Judy!
I made a key lime cake for Thanksgiving last year. This has to be the next cake that sits next to all the pies! Excellent suggestion!
I love the idea of key lime on Thanksgiving. If you’re making this for a crowd, muffins might be the way to go. It’s really soft, like gingerbread.
There’s not enough butter on that bread! lol. I love the addition of the booze. Sounds great.
Ha, Greg went to take the picture and the butter melted, so then he put more on and well let’s just say there’s more than meets the eye!
Awesome stuff – as frugalfeeding said so well – [EVERYTHING] is made better with chocolate! Nice addition 🙂
So true, so true.
I was going to make pumpkin bread tonight! I love your additions of alcohol and chocolate…yum!
Can’t wait to see your recipe.
No, no…I couldn´t possibly. Oh well, if you insist…as long as it´s with raisins!
Maybe if you soak them in rum, we can trick him.
I, too, have bought pumpkin on sale and then spent the following year moving it around the shelf. Had I known about this recipe, however, those cans would have been far less travelled. And I’ll bake mine with both raisins and chocolate. Yes, I want it all!
Ha, don’t forget the nuts!
Mmmmm! Raisins. I’m in the weirdo camp with Caroline…don’t like chocolate. The rest of the recipe though sounds fabulous! I notice you left the Miracle Whip out though. LOL. 😉
Ah, yes. I should’ve made a mayo icing, oh gross, I’m going to be sick. But I was thinking of you when I wrote that chocolate line!
As if booze and chocolate weren’t good enough…pumpkin bread is one of my favorites!
It was quite decadent for a quick bread.
This sounds interesting. Would you be able to make it with fresh pumpkin?
Absolutely. We used canned, but fresh is great if you have it.
Wow, this looks awesome, can’t wait to make it! The addition of cider is right on.
It’s fall after all!
A bit of Booze and Pumpkin Bread… what’s not to love? My mouth is watering!
Cheers!
G-LO
As if you needed an excuse to buy cider!
That’s a good point! 🙂
OMG I just made exactly the same thing, except it’s vegan! I can’t believe this I’m not copying honest, great minds and all that! I didn’t use any booze either, silly me won’t make that mistake again…
Ha, sure. You even named your dog Rufus. OK, seriously, this happens to us all the time. It’s fun to see different versions. And I don’t think many of Greg’s recipes, or mine, are vegan. I love your site, such great photos!
Must find a kitchen to borrow and make this immediately! What an amazing combination of flavors and SO GORGEOUS!
Thanks, Geni. I hated when we were doing kitchen work. Greg can go ages without food, but not me. Takeout gets old fast.
This one’s perfect for me! I’ll probably go with raisins and chocolate!! I don’t think there is anything I don’t like!! The addition of molasses sounds good, probably makes it nice and rich in taste. I saw canned pumpkin at the store last week and stocked up!!
I hope there’s some on sale after Thanksgiving! I made biscotti yesterday and thought of you! Can you tell who cooks day in and day out and who makes the fun stuff?
Booze and chocolate!, cutting straight to the chase! I love it!
There’s a lot of pumpkin recipes out there, we had to separate from the pack!
Quite honestly, I think I would have to do a version with raising and a version with chocolate!
Incredible recipe!
Have a super week.
🙂 Mandy
Thanks, Mandy! Have a great week!
This pumpkin bread looks good. I love it all, chocolate and raisins. I also love cranberries and pumpkin in my baked goods. I have to share my oatmeal pumpkin cranberry breakfast cookies soon before pumpkin season ends.
Oh I can’t wait for that recipe. Breakfast cookies. Maybe I’ll have those with my breakfast martini.
Ooh, dark chocolate happy dance!! Nuts and chocolate make for a delicious loaf and I really like the inclusion of molasses too. Have you tried blackstrap molasses?
Thanks, Kelly. That’s usually what we use.
I love all things “pumpkin” and especially pumpkin bread. I like the combination of pumpkin and chocolate and will definitely add this to my holiday baking list. Molasses, pumpkin, chocolate…what a great trio…it is the season!
Thanks, Teresa. Chocolate and molasses are always in season!
Oh yeah!! You know I would love this one, right? 😉 I have to give this one a try…you can’t go wrong with the addition of cider, chocolate AND pecans! Yummy!
Ha, we might have suspected. You need to publish a pumpkin book!
This looks heavenly!
Ha, it was actually a bit sinful!
Mouth watering combo; I really love molasses and pecans. And the melted butter looks delicious.
Thanks, Eva!
You had me at booze!…and chocolate! Delicious recipe!
Thank you.
I can only imagine how this tastes
all those flavors..fall heaven!
And it finally feels like fall here.
That bread looks so flavourful, so moist. I always love you twist of booze in everything you do.
Well, not everything… hmm Ok, you’re right!
The use of hard cider sounds great in baking! I’ll have to incorporate this idea into future recipes.
I figured beer bread is always good.
Totally making this!
Cool, let us know if you do!
Frankly it looks like the first pumpkin sweet dish I might like! Soft, full of chocolate, nuts… it might make the pumpkin blandness disappear (I know, it’s strange, but I find it bland).
We always add cloves too, that helps.
THAT’S what I left out of mine…..the BOOZE! 🙂 This looks yummy. I might have to add it to my long list of pumpkin goodies.
Our list is soooo long too!
Yum! I love pumpkin bread. And this looks even better with the cider and chocolate.
Thanks, Colleen.
Looks delicious, love that you used cider in the mixture. Thanks for the referral to my pumpkin soup.
You’re quite welcome.
Is cider really considered booze?? I’m really Katherine I was hoping for so much more. 😉
Sound delicious.
Hmm, you have a point. Make sure to get a giant bottle or a six-pack so you’ll have something to drink with the bread. I kid you not I have an article in front of me that says Utah is one of the two states that’s drier than Arkansas. Per capita alcohol consumed 18.9 gallons (annually I guess) in Utah, 26.6 gallons in Arkansas. I think we can both try to get those numbers up!
I know that Liz and I are doing our part!
Also Utah might be dead last in alcohol consumption, but the state is first in porn consumption. Seriously, this is one of the interesting things you learn when moving here. Tons of Mormons who enjoy the privacy of the internet. 🙂
Good grief! I am not searching for the answer, as I work, on where we rank. But I had never seen mega Adult stores until I moved South. Although, when we drove to the Finger Lakes there were quite a few in Pa.
Holy Moly this looks fantastic. Very appealing – I love the addition of chocolate. It’s on my “to do” list for sure.
I bet it’d be good drizzled with honey. Oh, maybe that’s just a little too decadent!
i like your food pictures and want to invite you to try out tastingspot.com. it’s for anyone that just wants another place to submit photos and share it will other foodies. It’s still in beta version, but would love for you to start adding some photos and help get it going.
Thanks, I have been meaning to check it out!
chocolate please! raisins are evil!
You’ve got me drooling yet again, Rufus! I am SO making this this weekend! Thank you!
Yum, cider in pumpkin bread! I think Woodchuck even has pumpkin cider out right now, but have no idea what it’s like. May need to do research…
Uh…oh my god…yum!
Pingback: Meatless Monday | running4thereason
I love the intensity that molasses adds to a dish, these flavors seem like a really good combination.
So I’m not super wild about the combo of pumpkin and chocolate. But this looks amazing! Would it taste good without the chocolate?
Definitely. I thought it would be fine without it! I’d keep the pecans though.
I am a big pecan fan so no argument there!
Pingback: Orange You Glad Its Friday? | Sprint 2 the Table
I love raisins, but not cooked into things, other than Cinnamon Raisin Bread, or maybe Oatmeal. I mostly prefer to eat them fresh. However, chocolate in this sounds far better anyway! I say don’t go messing up a good food with raisins in it, add chocolate instead! The darker the better.
Btw, my roommate made some “to-die-for” pumpkin cookies…. twice The recipe really should be halved, it makes sooooo many & they are so good you’ll want to eat them all. I don’t recommend doing so. You’ll regert your attempts. Here’s the link”
http://www.houseofhepworths.com/2010/10/15/pumpkin-cookies-w-cream-cheese-icing/
Pingback: Pumpkin Biscotti | Rufus' Food and Spirits Guide
Pingback: All Our Thanksgiving Recipes in One Place (Take Two) | Rufus' Food and Spirits Guide
Pingback: Thanksgiving Menu | Rufus' Food and Spirits Guide