Butternut Bread - Dueling Recipes

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick










A warm slice of this moist, fragrant bread is the antidote to November.  Here are two versions:  a whole grain, no sugar version, and a "traditional" version.  Try a taste test and see which you prefer. 

Prep time:  15 minutes
Cook time:  60 minutes
Yield:  one loaf

Whole Grain Version

INGREDIENTS
1 ½ cups whole wheat flour

2/3 cup Truvia or other stevia-based sweetener

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

½  tsp. ground cloves

½  tsp. salt

2 large eggs

1 cup pureed butternut squash

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cup canola oil

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts or your favorite nuts (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 350F. Spray a 9x5 loaf pan with cooking spray.

In a mixing bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.

In another bowl, whisk the eggs, and then mix in the squash, yogurt, and canola oil.

With a rubber spatula, scrape the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir to create a thick batter.  Stir in the pine nuts, if using.  Scrape this mixture into your loaf pan, and slide into the middle rack of the oven.  Bake for an hour, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center of your bread comes out clean.

Variations:  Pumpkin puree is a terrific substitute for the butternut.

"Traditional" Version

INGREDIENTS
1 ½ cups white flour

2/3 cup sugar

1 ½ tsp. baking soda

1 ½ tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

½  tsp. ground cloves

½  tsp. salt

2 large eggs

1 cup pureed butternut squash

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cup canola oil

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts (or your favorite - optional)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 350F. Spray a 9x5 loaf pan with cooking spray.

In a mixing bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.

In another bowl, whisk the eggs, and then mix in the squash, yogurt, and canola oil.

With a rubber spatula, scrape the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir to create a thick batter.  Stir in the nuts, if using.  Scrape this mixture into your loaf pan, and slide into the middle rack of the oven.  Bake for an hour, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center of your bread comes out clean.

Variations:  Pumpkin puree is a terrific substitute for the butternut.