Spiced Pumpkin Bread

This autumn-inspired take on banana bread is fitting for the first day of Autumn. Happy fall everyone!

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups white sugar

• 1 cup light brown sugar

• 1 cup butter, melted

• 2 eggs

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

• 3 cups pumpkin puree

• 4 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• 1 tablespoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• ½ teaspoon ground cloves

• ½ teaspoon salt

Directions

• Step 1

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

• Step 2

  Mix white sugar, brown sugar, and melted butter together in a large bowl. Stir in eggs and vanilla extract; mix in pumpkin until thoroughly combined.

• Step 3

  Whisk flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, cloves, and salt together in a separate bowl. Mix flour mixture into pumpkin mixture until incorporated. Pour batter into three 5x9-inch loaf pans. Smooth batter evenly in each pan.

• Step 4

  Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the middle of each loaf comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes.

Rhubarb Bread

This rhubarb bread recipe will turn one of the wonderful gifts of spring into a delicious treat for everyone.

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 ¾ cups brown sugar, divided

• ⅔ cup vegetable oil

• 1 large egg

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 ½ cups chopped rhubarb

• ½ cup chopped walnuts

• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1 tablespoon butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Lightly grease two 9x5-inch loaf pans.

2. Stir together milk, lemon juice, and vanilla in a small bowl; let stand for 10 minutes.

3. Mix together 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, oil, and egg in a large bowl. Combine flour, salt, and baking soda, and stir into sugar mixture alternately with milk mixture just until combined. Fold in rhubarb and walnuts. Pour batter into prepared loaf pans.

4. Combine remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle this mixture over the unbaked loaves.

5. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a loaf comes out clean, about 40 minutes.

Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk

• 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon white sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Stir the milk and vinegar together, and allow to stand until curdled, about 10 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet. In a bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.

3. Gradually stir the soured milk into the flour mixture until the dough just comes together, and turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface. Knead a few times, and shape into a round. Place the dough onto the prepared baking sheet. With a sharp knife, cut an X shape into the top of the dough to release steam and help the bread keep its round shape.

4. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 45 minutes.

Pull Apart Easter Blossom Bread

A rich eggy dough is twisted into pretty flowers, then filled with jam in this decadent Easter bread. Be sure to look at the pictures for how it is formed. Lemon curd is an option to replace the jam.

Ingredients

• 6 cups all-purpose flour, or more if needed (divided)

• 1 tablespoon rapid rise yeast

• ½ cup white sugar

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• ½ cup unsalted butter

• 1 ¾ cups milk

• 3 eggs, beaten

• 1 lemon, zested and juiced

• 1 egg yolk

• 1 tablespoon water

• ½ cup seedless raspberry jam

• 1 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

• Step 1

  In a large bowl, whisk together 4 cups of flour, the yeast, white sugar, and salt. In a saucepan over low heat, melt the unsalted butter with the milk until the mixture is warm, about 110 degrees F (43 degrees C). Gradually whisk about 1/3 of the butter-milk mixture into the beaten eggs, then return the egg mixture back into the remaining milk mixture. Stir the lemon zest into the liquid ingredients (set aside lemon juice for later). Pour the liquid ingredients into the flour mixture, and stir until thoroughly combined.

• Step 2

  Add enough flour to make a soft dough; turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes. Place dough into an oiled bowl, and turn the dough around to cover surface lightly with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch down the dough, and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

• Step 3

  Divide the dough in half, and roll each half into a round ball. On a floured surface, roll out a ball into a 12-inch circle. Place a drinking glass, face down, into the center of the circle to prevent cutting the dough too far into the center. Cut the dough with a knife, from the edge of the dough circle to the rim of the glass, into quarters. Cut each quarter into 5 narrow wedge-shaped strips. (Center of the dough is uncut.) Remove the drinking glass. There are 20 narrow wedge-shaped strips surrounding the uncut center of the dough.

• Step 4

  Pick up two adjacent strips, and twist them together about 4 times; pinch the ends of the two pieces together at the top. Gently coil to form a rough flower shape. Arrange the round into the middle of the circle, where the drinking glass was.

• Step 5

  Pick up two more adjacent strips, and twist and pinch them as before; coil them into a rough round, and arrange the new petal next to the center rosette. Repeat with remaining 16 strips, twisting and pinching them in twos, coiling and arranging them into 8 more petals around the center rosette. Finished bread has 9 petals surrounding the center round. Repeat steps with the second ball of dough to make two breads.

• Step 6

  Grease a baking sheet, or line with parchment paper. Place the shaped breads onto the prepared baking sheet, reshaping them into rounds if needed; cover with a clean kitchen towel, and place into a warm spot to rise until almost doubled, 30 to 45 minutes.

• Step 7

  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Beat the egg yolk with water in a small bowl, and brush the mixture over both the breads.

• Step 8

  Bake in the preheated oven until the breads have turned golden brown, about 25 minutes. Allow to cool.

• Step 9

  Use your fingers to gently deepen the indentations in the center of each petal, and fill each with about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of raspberry jam. Mix the reserved lemon juice and confectioners' sugar in a bowl to form a glaze; drizzle the glaze in thin lines all over both the breads. Allow glaze to set. To serve, pull the petals apart.

Marzipan Christmas Kringle

This marzipan tubular bread is an ABSOLUTE must for the Christmas season, and a traditional dinner would not be complete without this Christmas Kringle for dessert. It may seem complicated at first glance, but if you follow the recipe step by step, it is actually quite easy and you will amaze your family with this beautiful dessert. This is an extremely rich and decadent treat so guests only need a little. Often a coin is hidden in the kringle and it is thought that the finder will be guaranteed good luck for the upcoming year. As such, it is considered bad luck not to indulge at Christmas!

Ingredients

• ½ cup warm milk

• 1 tablespoon white sugar 

• 1 (.25 ounce) envelope active dry yeast

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour

• ¼ cup white sugar 

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom

• ½ cup butter

• 1 (8 ounce) can almond paste

• ½ cup crushed sliced almonds

• ½ cup white sugar 

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon almond extract

• ½ cup white sugar 

• 1 egg white, beaten

• ½ cup sliced almonds

Directions

• Step 1

  In a small bowl, stir together the milk and sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over the top and let stand for 10 minutes to dissolve. Stir in cream.

• Step 2

  In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, salt and cardamom. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender or pinching with your fingers until it is a course mealy texture. Stir in the yeast mixture until well blended. Pat into a ball, flatten slightly, then wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.

• Step 3

  To make the filling, mix the almond paste, almonds, sugar, cinnamon and almond extract using an electric mixer until evenly blended. It may be crumbly.

• Step 4

  Roll the chilled dough out into a 2 inch wide and 24 inch long rectangle. Spread the filling to within 2 inches of the sides and roll up into a tube. Cover your work surface with sugar, and roll the tube of dough in the sugar to coat thoroughly. Roll and stretch the dough out to form a long rope about 40 inches long. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and shape into a pretzel shape.

• Step 5

  Brush the top of the pretzel with egg white and sprinkle with almonds. Cover loosely with a towel and let rise for 45 minutes.

• Step 6

  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Bake the kringle in the preheated oven until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Cut into slices to serve.

Banana Sour Cream Bread

I know, you're probably thinking, “Oh no! Another banana bread recipe!” But this one is a little different: the sour cream makes this one so moist it melts in your mouth. The flavor is just wonderful! This one is great for gift giving and holidays. Loaves freeze well.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup white sugar

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 3/4 cup butter

• 3 cups white sugar

• 3 eggs

• 6 very ripe bananas, mashed

• 1 (16 ounce) container sour cream

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 3 teaspoons baking soda

• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300F. Grease four 7x3 inch loaf pans.

2. In a small bowl, stir together 1/4 cup white sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.

3. Dust pans lightly with cinnamon and sugar mixture.

4. In a large bowl, cream butter and 3 cups sugar.

5. Mix in eggs, mashed bananas, sour cream, vanilla and cinnamon.

6. Mix in salt, baking soda and flour. Stir in nuts. Divide into prepared pans.

7. Bake for 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.