Description
A seasonal twist on classic banana bread, this recipe features rich pumpkin and banana flavors, enhanced by a nutty brown butter-maple swirl and a crunchy spiced pepita crumble topping. It’s a perfect cozy treat for fall weekends or gifting.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- Pinch ground cloves
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 1/4 cups mashed ripe banana
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/2 cup raw hulled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- 1 teaspoon powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare Pan and Oven: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper, allowing overhang for easy removal.
- Make Pepita Crumble: In a small bowl, combine pepitas, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp flour, 1 tbsp melted butter, and a pinch of cinnamon and salt until coarse crumbs form. Set aside.
- Prepare Brown Butter Swirl: Brown 4 tbsp butter in a saucepan over medium heat until nutty and amber-colored. Remove from heat, then whisk in maple syrup, 1 tbsp flour, and 1/4 tsp cinnamon. Let cool for 10-15 minutes to thicken.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Whisk together flour, granulated sugar, remaining brown sugar, leaveners, salt, and spices in a large bowl.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk eggs, oil, pumpkin puree, mashed banana, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Mix Batter: Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix. Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan.
- Assemble and Swirl Loaf: Dollop half of the brown butter swirl over the batter and gently swirl with a knife or skewer. Add remaining batter, then top with the rest of the swirl and swirl again. Sprinkle evenly with the pepita crumble.
- Bake: Bake for 55-65 minutes until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean with only a few moist crumbs attached. If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil.
- Cool: Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift onto a wire rack using the parchment overhang. Cool completely for at least 2 hours before slicing to allow the structure to set. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.
Notes
To avoid a dense texture, do not overmix the batter. Ensure baking soda and baking powder are fresh for proper rise. If using fresh pumpkin puree, thoroughly drain excess liquid first. Let the brown butter-maple swirl cool for 10-15 minutes before adding to the batter to ensure defined ribbons rather than melting completely.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 410 calories
- Sugar: 33g
- Sodium: 280mg
- Fat: 17g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 59g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 37mg
Keywords: pumpkin banana bread, quick bread, fall baking, brown butter swirl, pepita crumble, dessert, brunch, cozy, holiday baking