Easy Butternut Squash Quick Bread

During the autumn and winter months there’s nothing quite like the smell of fresh-baked sweet breads. One of our favorites is butternut squash quick bread. With its sweet, butter-nutty essence and warm autumn spices, it’s the perfect treat to enjoy during the cooler weather seasons.

This butternut squash recipe is the perfect way to use up those extra winter squashes. If you don’t have butternut on-hand, try Hubbard, buttercup, or pumpkin. Use this short-cut method to make squash puree ahead of time to store in the freezer until you’re ready to bake.

This recipe is for 2 loaves, one for now, and one for gifting or freezing for later. At the end of the recipe, you’ll find flexible ingredient options to customize to your dietary preferences, or substitutes that work equally well for using what you have on hand.

Let’s get started!

Here’s how you can turn your excess butternut squash into a sweet and spicy quick bread.

Ingredients

• 3 C. ½ tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. nutmeg
• ¼ tsp. cloves
• 3 C. white sugar
• ½ C. vegetable oil
• ½ C. plain yogurt
• 3 eggs
• 2 C. pureed butternut squash
• 1 C. Raisins
• ½ C. apple juice or cider
• 1 C. chopped walnuts
• 2 TBS. butter or oil

Notes:

Feel free to adjust the spices to your personal taste. I like to add extra cinnamon, or if I’m out of one of the spices, I’ll substitute 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice.

Soaking the raisins in fruit juice will help them plump up and not draw moisture from the bread dough. I like to bake with walnuts, but you could also use pecans for this recipe.

Kitchen Tools

• 1 Large mixing bowl
• 1 medium mixing bowl
• Misc: mixing spoon, spatula, 2 Directions

  Yield: 2 Loaves

  Measure the raisins into a 1-cup measuring cup. Pour over enough apple juice to cover the raisins, about ½ cup. Let the raisins soak up the juice while preparing the batter.

  Coarsely chop 1 cup of walnuts and set aside.

  Butter the two loaf pans and set aside.

  Preheat oven to 350°F

  In a medium size mixing bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices. Set aside.

  

  In a large mixing bowl combine sugar with oil and yogurt. Stir for about 1-2 minutes. Then, gently mix in one egg at a time until fully combined. Stir in butternut squash puree.

  Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing thoroughly until there is no sign of white flour.

  

  Strain the raisins and use the leftover juice for something else. Add the raisins and chopped walnuts to the mixture until they are covered with the batter.

  

  Pour the batter evenly into the two loaf pans. Set on a rack in the middle of the oven and bake for 50 – 65 minutes.

  

  Use a wooden toothpick to test the doneness of the bread by inserting it into the center of each loaf. The toothpick should come out with no sticky dough attached.

  

  Remove from oven and set on a baking rack to cool 10 – 15 minutes. Tip out the loaves and allow to cool to room temperature before storing. The bread should last 3-5 days at room temperature, or up to a week if stored in the refrigerator.

  

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  Easy Butternut Squash Quick Bread

  Print Recipe

  During the autumn and winter months there’s nothing quite like the smell of fresh-baked sweet breads. With its sweet, butter-nutty essence and warm autumn spices, this butternut squash bread is the perfect treat to enjoy during the cooler weather seasons. This recipe is for 2 loaves, one for now, and one for gifting or freezing for later.

  Course Dessert

  Cuisine American

  Keyword autumn dessert, butternut squash, quick bread

  Prep Time 15 minutes mins

  Cook Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

  Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

  Servings 24 Slices

  Author Alisa

  Equipment

  • 1 Large Mixing Bowl
  • 1 Medium mixing bowl
  • 2 5 x 9 loaf pans
  • Misc. measuring cups and spoons, mixing spoon
  • 1 Cutting board and knife to chop walnuts

  Ingredients

  • 3 Cups All-Purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp. Baking powder
  • 1 tsp. Baking soda
  • 1 tsp. Salt
  • 1 tsp. Ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp. Ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp. Ground cloves
  • 3 Cups White sugar
  • 1/2 Cup Vegetable oil
  • 1/2 Cup Plain yogurt regular or Greek style
  • 3 Eggs
  • 2 Cups Pureed butternut squash
  • 1 Cup Raisins regular or golden
  • 1 Cup Chopped walnuts optional: pecans
  • 1/2 Cup Apple juice to soak raisins
  • 2 Tbs. Butter to oil baking pans

  Instructions

  • Measure the raisins into a 1-cup measuring cup. Pour overenough apple juice to cover the raisins, about ½ cup. Let the raisins soak upthe juice while preparing the batter.
  • Coarsely chop 1 cup of walnuts and set aside.
  • Butter the two loaf pans and set aside.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F
  • In a medium size mixing bowl sift together the flour, bakingsoda, baking powder, salt, and spices. Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl combine sugar with oil and yogurt.Stir for about 1-2 minutes. Then, gently mix in one egg at a time until fullycombined. Stir in butternut squash puree.
  • Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients,mixing thoroughly until there is no sign of white flour.
  • Strain the raisins and use the leftover juice for somethingelse. Add the raisins and chopped walnuts to the mixture until they are coveredwith the batter.
  • Pour the batter evenly into the two loaf pans. Set on a rackin the middle of the oven and bake for 50 – 65 minutes.
  • Use a wooden toothpick to test the doneness of the bread byinserting it into the center of each loaf. The toothpick should come out withno sticky dough attached.
  • Remove from oven and set on a baking rack to cool 10 – 15 minutes.Tip out the loaves and allow to cool to room temperature before storing. Thebread should last 3-5 days at room temperature, or up to a week if stored inthe refrigerator.

  Notes

  Here are some optional mix-ins that you could try that enhance the flavor of the bread: chopped pecans, chocolate chips, dried fruits like cranberries, apples, or apricots, pepitas, shredded coconut, or chopped dates. You could also replace the yogurt with sour cream. Vegetables such as mashed avocado or applesauce can replace the oil and add additional flavor. Remember to maintain equal amounts of liquid in the recipe and that substitutions may slightly alter the texture of flavor of the bread.

  

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  FAQs

  How do I know when my quick bread is done baking?

  Use these visual cues to know when your bread is done: the top is golden brown and slightly cracked, the bread springs back when lightly pressed, it’s starting to pull away from the sides of the pan, or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs on it. Remember it’s better to slightly underbake than overbake as the bread continues baking for a bit while it rests in the pan after removing from the oven.

  How can I make this bread healthier?

  Try replacing half the flour with whole-wheat flour, use an equal amount of applesauce instead of vegetable oil, or add more veggies such as grated carrot or zucchini.

  What are some other mix-ins that would complement the flavors of this bread?

  Here’s a good selection of flavorful options: chopped pecans, chocolate chips, dried fruits like cranberries, apples, or apricots, pepitas, shredded coconut, or chopped dates. You could also replace the yogurt with sour cream. Vegetables such as mashed avocado or applesauce can replace the oil and add additional flavor. Remember to maintain equal amounts of liquid in the recipe and that substitutions may slightly alter the texture of flavor of the bread.