Pumpkin Banana Bread

There are endless ways to enjoy pumpkin in the fall, but my absolute favorite is this pumpkin banana bread. Sweetly speckled ripe bananas and earthy squash give each warmly spiced slice a moist texture and natural sweetness. When paired with hot coffee, it’s simply the best fall breakfast around.

Toast slices of pumpkin banana bread until the edges are just golden and spread with salted butter or whipped cream cheese. Or serve it for dessert by cutting the bread into cubes and layering with vanilla or pumpkin spice pudding and sliced bananas. Here’s how to make it.

• It’s the best of both worlds. Pumpkin bread and banana bread join forces for the ultimate fall quick bread.
• It freezes well. Bake the bread when you have the time, then stash it in the freezer. Whenever you want a slice of homemade pumpkin banana bread, warm up a thick slice in the toaster.

• Bananas: Wait until the bananas are very ripe with speckles or dark brown coloring. This is a signal that more of the fruit’s starches have converted to sugars. If your bananas aren’t quite ripe yet, try this trick for ripening the bananas in the oven. 
• Pumpkin purée: Use canned pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie mix), which is simply cooked and mashed pumpkin.
• Unsalted butter: You’ll need 1 stick (8 tablespoons) of unsalted butter, which you can melt in the microwave or on the stovetop.
• Sugar: Use a combination of granulated sugar and dark brown sugar.
• All-purpose flour: All-purpose flour gives the bread its structure. Use the dip and sweep method to measure the proper amount, and never pack it down. Once the flour is added to the batter, mix just until no dry spots remain, then stop and transfer to the loaf pan.
• Pumpkin pie spice: You can use store-bought or homemade pumpkin pie spice.

1. Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk the all-purpose flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, kosher salt, and baking soda together in a bowl.
2. Mash the bananas and mix in the sugar and wet ingredients. Use a fork or potato masher to mash very ripe bananas until smooth with just a few lumps. Add the melted butter, egg, pumpkin purée, granulated sugar, dark brown sugar, and vanilla extract, then whisk until combined.
3. Add dry ingredients to the pumpkin-banana mixture. Then stir with a rubber spatula until just incorporated but no dry spots remain. If using walnuts, reserve 2 tablespoons for topping, then fold the remaining into the batter.
4. Bake. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle with the reserved walnuts (if using). Bake until the bread pulls away from the sides of the pan, the top is cracked, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs attached, 55 to 60 minutes.

Yes! In most quick bread and muffin recipes, pumpkin purée and mashed bananas can be used interchangeably. The two purées are similar in texture and function, although bananas provide more sweetness to the baked good. In this recipe, we call for an equal mix of both (about 3/4 cup each), but you can adjust the proportions based on what you have in your kitchen, as long as you keep the total amount consistent.

• Frozen bananas: For frozen bananas, thaw the fruit first, making sure to whisk any liquid back into the mashed banana before measuring it and adding it to the batter.

• Muffin variation: Coat the wells of a 12-well muffin pan with cooking spray or line with paper liners. Divide the batter among the prepared muffin wells, about 1/3 cup batter per well. Bake, rotating the pan halfway through baking, until the muffins are golden, the tops bounce back when pressed, and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes total. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. The bread can also be sliced, then wrapped tightly in aluminum foil and frozen for up to 3 months.

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