I love to bake in the fall. The warmth from the oven is welcoming as the temperature outside drops, and the smell of the spices reminds me that the holidays are coming. The high season for “hygge” is upon us!

Here is a recipe for a pumpkin bread that is more like a loaf of bread than a cake, with less sugar and butter but lots of flavor and a good amount of whole grains. The bread smells and tastes wonderfully of fall and Thanksgiving.

Pumpkin Bread with whole wheat flour

Ingredients

• 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
• 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp cloves
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp instant yeast
• 1 ¾ cups pumpkin purée
• 2 large eggs
• 4 Tbsp melted butter
• ½ cup raisins

Directions

Combine flours, spices, sugar, salt and yeast in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the pumpkin, eggs and melted butter.

Using a mixer, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and knead for 2 minutes. Let the dough rest for 15 minutes, then continue kneading for 5-7 minutes until it’s smooth. Stir in the raisins.

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rise for 1 – 1 ½ hours.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide it into three pieces. Roll each piece into a log. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and braid them together. Pinch the ends together and tuck them under. 

Cover the braid with lightly greased plastic wrap and let it rise for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake the bread for 25 to 30 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove it from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Enjoy!