This used to be Pumpkin Bread, a traditional holiday treat in the US (at least in my family).
I prefer butternut squash to pumpkin as a winter vegetable and I really don’t have enough room in my potager to grow one pumpkin for a Christmas bread plus all the butternut squash (and acorn and spaghetti squashes) we want for everything else.
Besides, once one adds the cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger I defy anyone to tell the difference.
I prepped the butternut squash the same way I would a pumpkin: cut it into big sections (peeled or not), put it into a big roasting pan, covered it with foil and baked at 350F (180C) for 1 1/2 – 2 1/2 hours. Start checking after an hour and remove when it’s very, very soft. It should be like a purée. The squash can be done up to 3 days in advance or earlier and frozen until needed.
Any leftover cooked squash can easily be turned into Butternut Squash soup.
Of course you could always just buy canned pumpkin….. If you do, add 2 more tbs water.
Butternut Squash Bread
Total time: 75 minutes after butternut squash is prepped
Ingredients:
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 cup butternut squash, mashed
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tbs water
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp cloves
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger
- 1 2/3 cups flour
Instructions:
- Pre-heat oven to 350F (180C)
- Butter and flour a 9 X 5 loaf pan (I line the bottom with parchment – comes out easier)
- Cream sugar and eggs.
- Add pumpkin, oil, water and blend.
- Add remaining ingredients and stir well.
- Bake for 60 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
We are please to announce that the entire house (not the barn) is now insulated.
Now mon mari can have a nice warm place to work to stain and varnish all of the ceiling boards.
And all of the floor boards.
That ought to keep him out of mischief for a few weeks this winter…..
As well as keeping the staining and varnishing out of the TV room. It gets a little crowded.
WEEK 7: Are you a winter squash fanatic? Join the fun or just follow along:
See 12 Weeks of Winter Squash Facebook Page for details.
I’m with you. I think butternut squash is far superior to pumpkin. It’s definitely our choice whenever we make “pumpkin pie”. I love butternut squash for soup and in ravioli as well.
Your bread looks and sounds wonderful.
Well done on the insulation!!
Wow! That sure looks good. But, as I’m sure you know by now, instead of baking that squash for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours, you could pressure cook it for 6-7 minutes, with the skin on, and achieve the same result.
I love pumpkin bread, and I bet it’s even better with the butternut! It looks like a delicious bread.
Looks scrumptious Katie…anything with squash or pumpkin is a winner in my books!
Elizabeth, it started out as a practical move – pumpkin taking up too much room in the garden. Now we just like the squash better. Hmmmm ravoli – haven’t made that in awhile.
brassfrog, good idea – but that wouldn’t heat up my kitchen LOL
Amy, we like it better – and it’s what I have LOL
Ina, we eat a lot of winter squash in all forms this time of year.
What a fun spin on pumpkin bread! I need to bake with other squashes more often!
Big Flavors, I think it would work with most squashes – not spaghetti or acorn, tho..
I tuned in because of the title. I have read that most “pumpkin” pies use squash, although usually an uncommon (in North America) squash. I find that pumpkin flesh is dry while most winter squashes are juicy.
kitblue, some pumpkins are wonderful, but usually not the pumpkins one finds in the US. Butternut squash is, for me, better and more reliable. Plus it tastes the same once you add the spices 😉
Pumpkin IS a winter squash! Research it!!
I did not say it wasn’t…. Read more carefully. I was discussing 2 kinds of squash: butternut squash (as opposed to a butternut, which is a nut) and pumpkin.
I don’t have crystallized ginger can powered ginger be used instead
You could add 1/4 tsp of powdered ginger or just leave it out. The crystallized ginger just adds a bit of fun. I don’t always use it myself. 🙂