Serves a Crowd
Brown Butter and Butternut Loaf
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38 Reviews
Violet L.
November 11, 2024
I am about to make this bread, as I have a beautiful butternut squash and I want to use it. Just want to comment on your cinnamon-induced headache, which is not really very strange. In the last week I have been reading that much of the cinnamon that we buy is laced with lead! The lead enhances color in cinnamon (and turmeric), and looks more appetizing to the consumer (according to "experts"). The good brands were listed, as were some of the bad. I immediately trashed my cinnamon and cinnamon sugar and went to the store and bought a jar of Morton & Basset San Francisco cinnamon, because that was what was available (and on sale). The difference in color is obvious with just a glance. Apparently, the more appetizing it looks, the more lead it contains (?). Other lead-free brands are available on line. May also have to toss my turmeric after I research lead-free brands. Who knew?
dickensthedog
November 22, 2022
This is almost identical (except for cinnamon, ginger and cloves) to my absolute favorite pumpkin ginger bread which also includes 1/2 cup of chopped candied ginger. I can't wait to try browning the butter and adding the brown butter icing. I sometimes bake this bread in seven small disposable tins to give as gifts.
Yvette
November 22, 2022
Disposable tins to give as gifts - that is a great idea since this recipe makes 2 loaves. Do you have a website link to where I could look at ordering these?
dickensthedog
November 22, 2022
I get them at a local Mom and Pop discount store. I bet you could find them on the big river: )
Naomi
February 1, 2022
I made this recipe exactly as directed a few years ago (except with Bob's Red Mill 1:1 gluten free flour instead of wheat) and it was so delicious and gorgeous!
I now have to remove cane sugar from my diet and reduce sugar intake overall, so when I received a kabocha squash in a CSA share I immediately wanted to use it for an adapted version of this recipe. I used only 1 cup of sugar total, 1/2 cup maple syrup and 1/2 brown coconut sugar, and left off the glaze. Straight out of the oven it didn't taste quite sweet enough and the coconut sugar was a little too obviously tart. However, after sitting over night the flavors really settled in together and it's similar to a light pound cake, perfectly sweet and very satisfying and addictive.
I now have to remove cane sugar from my diet and reduce sugar intake overall, so when I received a kabocha squash in a CSA share I immediately wanted to use it for an adapted version of this recipe. I used only 1 cup of sugar total, 1/2 cup maple syrup and 1/2 brown coconut sugar, and left off the glaze. Straight out of the oven it didn't taste quite sweet enough and the coconut sugar was a little too obviously tart. However, after sitting over night the flavors really settled in together and it's similar to a light pound cake, perfectly sweet and very satisfying and addictive.
LizzO1975
December 15, 2020
This recipe is unbelievably good. My 10 year old daughter dry heaved when I told her I was making "squash bread" but after eating this it is now her absolute favorite and she asks for it constantly. I actually made them into cupcakes for Halloween and turned the brown butter glaze into brown butter buttercream by doubling the recipe, cooling the brown butter in the refrigerator and then adding enough sugar to the butter when being whipped to make it the right consistency (with a little cream and vanilla). I also added cinnamon to the bread base along with the nutmeg.
Charlotte W.
March 19, 2020
Loved this yummy bread. Will make it over and over again. Since I love very spicy food I also added cayenne, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. I did use white whole wheat flour and it is still a great bread.
stormy85
November 7, 2019
I admittedly made a few changes to this recipe but it was delicious! I halved it and added 1 tsp cinnamon, some orange zest, and used half brown/half white sugar in the cake. I also reduced the sugar in the icing by a quarter cup and found it very thick so I added orange juice to reinforce the orange flavor of the cake. I can't comment on the taste of the recipe as written but I will definitely by making it again with these changes.
Steven W.
September 26, 2021
So, you didn't really even make it, though! Your changes are reasonable, but why not try it next time as written? I never understand this--I change things to suit myself too, but after I've followed the recipe to the letter.
Jenny
January 13, 2018
I made this yeasterday, and it came out great!! I used one C. whole wheat flour and two C. white, 1 1/2 C. turbinado sugar in place of plain, and added Vietnamese cinnamon. Does this bread freeze well? If so, how should I package it to freeze?
Maureen P.
September 25, 2017
Do you have any adjustments for high altitude baking? I am at 6000 ft! Thanks
Ted
September 18, 2017
This is good. I made half recipe -- now wish I'd made full recipe!! I omitted to icing. Also wish the nutmeg flavour was a bit more pronounced, so the next time I make it -- and there will be a next time -- I'll up the quantity of nutmeg. The batter came together so easily. Very good: recommended.
Ted
September 17, 2017
I wanted to make a half recipe -- so 1 cake only -- since I'm more likely to have 1 cup of squash than 2, how would I adjust the eggs?
I'm guessing i could beat 3 eggs and eyeball-measure 1/2 of that volume, but what if I only wanted to use 1 egg?
Thank you!
I'm guessing i could beat 3 eggs and eyeball-measure 1/2 of that volume, but what if I only wanted to use 1 egg?
Thank you!
fiveandspice
September 17, 2017
As long as it's a pretty large egg, I'm guessing that using just one egg would probably wind up working out. Or you could use one egg and then whisk up a second egg and use half of it by weight.
melissa
December 2, 2016
dumb question, but my partner dislikes nutmeg (after a bad pumpkin pie experience during the swine flu epidemic) -- what would be the best substitution here?
fiveandspice
December 2, 2016
Cinnamon should work well. I normally would have used cinnamon but I was on an anti cinnamon kick when I developed this recipe (I was convinced it was giving me head aches, though really I was probably just stressed), and that's why I chose nutmeg instead! Cardamom might be another interesting option.
keg72
October 17, 2016
This is really delicious -- and the icing definitely raises it to another level!
mymymyra
October 13, 2016
Do you think this would still work with pumpkin puree? I am feeling lazy and don't want the hassle of the butternut squash but I like the idea of doing non traditional flavor for pumpkin bread.
Deborah
November 19, 2016
I regularly make this with pumpkin purée and it's delicious, although I suspect butternut squash gives the brown butter flavor a bit more prominence.
ghainskom
September 18, 2016
Had to recycle some butternut leftover from jamoe oliver's chicken laksa and opted for this recie. Used ghee instead of the clarified butter, only 1 cup of regular sugar, and 2 cups of ap flour and 1 cup of whole wheat flour, skipped the icing. Bang on.
Yvette
April 23, 2016
Didn't even get a chance to make the icing - my husband and I ate the first loaf while it was still warm with butter - great recipe! Next time I might add a bit more nutmeg and maybe some cinnamon as well.
LASGarcia
March 16, 2016
I guess you could replace the squash with unsweetened apple sauce too, or what about bananas and curb the sugar some?
Michelle
October 8, 2014
Would this work with acorn or delicata squash? I am awash with it from our CSA...
fiveandspice
October 8, 2014
You know, I don't know. I imagine that acorn squash wouldn't have quite enough flavor. Or at least, it would be very different, but it might still taste good in a different way. Delicata squash might be good, but it would be a pain to peel it all. But doable!
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