Butternut Squash Bread

Name: Butternut Squash Bread
Yield: makes 2 standard-size loaves or 8 mini loaves
Ingredients: 1 cup canola oil; 1/2 cup pure maple syrup; 3 cups butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and grated (about 1 3/4-pound squash); 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and grated; 4 large eggs; 1 cup granulated sugar; 1 cup firmly packed golden brown sugar; 3 cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg; 1 cup chopped toasted pecans (see page 168)

December 14, 2011

Everyone makes zucchini bread, but somehow it feels so blah to bring another loaf of this admittedly delicious stuff to a potluck. Here’s a new take on the old theme, using butternut squash, which lends a golden hue and a delicate flavor to the bread. Large loaves, which can be sliced on-site, work beautifully as potluck fare. Wrapped mini loaves tied with ribbons and adorned with handwritten tags make memorable party favors. For family reunions, spell out the family name, the date, and the reunion site, such as “Wright Family Reunion, May 2009, Elderville Churchyard.” Just about any event, from wedding showers and baptisms to graduations and birthday parties, can be commemorated this way, leaving guests with a nonperishable memento that can be saved in scrapbooks long after the last scrap of bread disappears.

Recipe notes

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