MAKES 2 LOAVES
The test kitchen’s preferred loaf pan measures 8½ by 4½ inches; if you use 9 by 5-inch loaf pans, start checking for doneness 5 minutes earlier than advised in the recipe. See the sidebars that follow the recipe.
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TOPPING |
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5 |
tablespoons packed (2¼ ounces) light brown sugar |
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1 |
tablespoon all-purpose flour |
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1 |
tablespoon unsalted butter, softened |
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1 |
teaspoon ground cinnamon |
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⅛ |
teaspoon salt |
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BREAD |
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2 |
cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour |
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1½ |
teaspoons baking powder |
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½ |
teaspoon baking soda |
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1 |
(15-ounce) can unsweetened pumpkin puree |
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1 |
teaspoon salt |
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1½ |
teaspoons ground cinnamon |
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¼ |
teaspoon ground nutmeg |
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⅛ |
teaspoon ground cloves |
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1 |
cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar |
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1 |
cup packed (7 ounces) light brown sugar |
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½ |
cup vegetable oil |
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4 |
ounces cream cheese, cut into 12 pieces |
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4 |
large eggs |
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¼ |
cup buttermilk |
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1 |
cup walnuts, toasted and chopped fine |
1. FOR THE TOPPING: Using your fingers, mix all ingredients together in bowl until well combined and topping resembles wet sand; set aside.
2. FOR THE BREAD: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8½ by 4½-inch loaf pans. Whisk flour, baking powder, and baking soda together in bowl.
3. Combine pumpkin puree, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in large saucepan over medium heat. Cook mixture, stirring constantly, until reduced to 1½ cups, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove pot from heat; stir in granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, and cream cheese until combined. Let mixture stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until no visible pieces of cream cheese remain and mixture is homogeneous.
4. Whisk eggs and buttermilk together. Add egg mixture to pumpkin mixture and whisk to combine. Fold flour mixture into pumpkin mixture until combined (some small lumps of flour are OK). Fold walnuts into batter. Scrape batter into prepared pans. Sprinkle topping evenly over top of each loaf. Bake until toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Let loaves cool in pans on wire rack for 20 minutes. Remove loaves from pans and let cool for at least 1½ hours. Serve warm or at room temperature.