Introduction
Hey there, baking buddies! Remember those crisp autumn days, the smell of leaves in the air, and the cozy feeling of being inside with a warm oven? There’s nothing quite like it, is there? And for me, those feelings are wrapped up in the smell of something delicious baking, something like this Butternut Squash Bread. Forget pumpkin for a moment (I know, I know, sacrilege!), because butternut squash brings its own incredible sweetness and moisture to the party. This recipe is so unbelievably easy, you’ll wonder why you haven’t made it before. It’s moist, perfectly spiced, and just screams “cozy.” Get ready to fill your home with the best smells of the season!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fast
- Easy
- Giftable
- Crowd-pleasing
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to whip up this slice of heaven. Most of these are probably already in your pantry!
- 2 cups all-purpose flour: The backbone of our bread!
- ½ tablespoon baking powder: Gives our bread a good lift.
- ½ teaspoon baking soda: Works with the buttermilk for extra tenderness and rise.
- ¼ teaspoon salt: Just a pinch to balance all that sweetness.
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice blend: The star of the show! Use your favorite mix, or make your own.
- 2 large eggs: Help bind everything together.
- 1 cup sugar: Sweetness to highlight the squash.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract: Adds that warm, classic flavor.
- ½ cup vegetable oil: Keeps our bread super moist.
- ⅔ cup buttermilk: Provides tang and reacts with the soda for tenderness. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a quick substitute! Just add 1 teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup, then fill with milk up to the ⅔ cup line. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes before using.
- 1 cup butternut squash puree: The moist-making, flavor-boosting secret! Canned works great, or you can easily roast and puree your own.
- 1 cup icing sugar (for glaze, optional): For that lovely drizzle.
- 1-2 tablespoons liquid (maple syrup, orange or lemon juice, or water) (for glaze, optional): Use whatever liquid you like for the glaze! Maple syrup adds extra fall flavor, while citrus juice adds a nice zing.
- Pumpkin spice blend or cinnamon (for topping, optional): A final flourish!
How to Make It
Okay, deep breath! You’ve got this. Making this bread is as simple as stirring things together. Let’s get baking!
First things first, preheat your oven to a cozy 350°F (175°C). Grab your trusty 9×5 inch loaf pan. You’ll want to grease it well, then give it a little dusting of flour. This helps prevent the bread from sticking, ensuring a perfect release later.
In a large bowl, whisk together all your dry ingredients: the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and that wonderful pumpkin spice blend. Give it a good whisk to make sure everything is evenly distributed. This prevents little pockets of leavening in your final bread!
Now, in a separate medium bowl, it’s time for the wet ingredients. Whisk together the eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, vegetable oil, buttermilk, and that gorgeous butternut squash puree. Make sure it’s all nicely combined.
Time to bring them together! Pour the wet ingredients mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Grab your spatula or a spoon and stir gently. The key here is NOT to overmix. You just want to stir until you no longer see any dry flour streaks. A few lumps are totally fine! Overmixing can lead to a tough bread, and we want tender.
Pour that beautiful batter into your prepared loaf pan. Spread it out evenly so it’s nice and flat on top.
Pop the pan into your preheated oven. Bake for 50-60 minutes. How do you know it’s ready? Insert a toothpick right into the center of the loaf. If it comes out clean, with no wet batter attached, you’re good to go! If there are still wet crumbs, give it a few more minutes and test again.
Once it’s done, take the pan out of the oven. Let the bread hang out in the pan for about 10 minutes. This helps it set up a bit before you move it. After 10 minutes, carefully turn the loaf out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Don’t rush this part! Slicing into a warm loaf is tempting, but it can mess up the texture.
While the bread cools (or once it’s cool), you can whip up the optional glaze! In a small bowl, whisk together the icing sugar and your chosen liquid (maple syrup, juice, or water) until it’s smooth and drizzle-able. Add the liquid a tablespoon at a time until you get the consistency you like.
Once the bread is completely cool, drizzle that lovely glaze over the top. For a final touch, sprinkle with a little extra pumpkin spice blend or cinnamon. Slice it up and enjoy!
Substitutions & Additions
Want to play around with the recipe? Go for it! Baking is all about experimenting.
- Flour: You can swap out some of the all-purpose flour for whole wheat flour, but I’d recommend starting with maybe a quarter or half and seeing how you like the texture.
- Oil: Melted butter or coconut oil can be used instead of vegetable oil, though they might slightly change the flavor and texture.
- Sugar: You could try using brown sugar for some or all of the white sugar for a deeper, caramel-like flavor. Maple sugar would also be amazing!
- Buttermilk: Plain yogurt or sour cream thinned with a little milk can often work as a substitute for buttermilk, giving you that needed tang and moisture.
- Puree: Yes, you can absolutely use canned pumpkin puree instead of butternut squash! The flavor will be very similar. Sweet potato puree would also work.
- Mix-ins: Feel free to fold in ½ to 1 cup of goodies with the wet ingredients before combining: chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts are great!), chocolate chips (dark or white!), or dried cranberries. Yum!
Tips for Success
Just a few little pointers to make sure your bread turns out perfect every time:
- Don’t overmix! I know I said it before, but it’s the most common mistake in quick bread. Stir just until the dry ingredients are incorporated.
- Accurate measuring: Especially with the flour! Spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off with a straight edge. Don’t scoop directly from the bag, as this can pack the flour and result in too much, making your bread dry.
- Check for doneness: Ovens can vary! Always rely on the toothpick test rather than just the time.
- Cooling is key: Let the bread cool in the pan for the recommended time, and then move it to a wire rack to cool completely. This prevents it from getting soggy.
- Prep Ahead: You can make the butternut squash puree ahead of time if you’re using fresh squash. The dry ingredients can also be whisked together and stored in an airtight container until you’re ready to add the wet.
How to Store It
This bread stays wonderfully moist! Once it’s completely cool, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. You can also store it in an airtight container.
It will keep at room temperature for 3-4 days. If you want to keep it longer, you can pop it in the fridge for up to a week. For longer storage, this bread freezes beautifully! Wrap cooled bread (whole or sliced) tightly in plastic wrap, then in foil or place in a freezer-safe bag. It will last in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
FAQs
Got questions? I’ve got answers!
Can I use canned pumpkin puree instead of butternut squash puree?
Absolutely! Canned pumpkin puree works perfectly in this recipe and is a very common substitute.
Why is my bread dense?
The most likely culprit is overmixing the batter. Stirring too much develops the gluten in the flour, leading to a tougher, denser texture. Make sure you only mix until just combined!
How long does this bread last?
Stored at room temperature, it’s best within 3-4 days. It will last longer in the fridge or freezer (see storage tips above!).
Can I make this as muffins?
Yes! Pour the batter into greased muffin tins, filling about two-thirds full. Bake at the same temperature (350°F) for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
Cozy Butternut Squash Bread
Equipment
- Loaf pan 9x5 inch
- Large bowl
- Medium bowl
- Whisk
- Spatula or spoon
- toothpick for testing doneness
- Wire rack for cooling
- Small bowl optional, for glaze
Ingredients
Main Bread
- 2 cup all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 0.5 tablespoon baking powder
- 0.5 teaspoon baking soda
- 0.25 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice blend
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 0.5 cup vegetable oil or melted butter, coconut oil
- 0.67 cup buttermilk or make substitute: 1 tsp vinegar/lemon juice + milk to ⅔ cup; let sit 5-10 mins
- 1 cup butternut squash puree canned or homemade; pumpkin or sweet potato puree can substitute
Optional Glaze
- 1 cup icing sugar
- 1 tablespoon liquid maple syrup, orange/lemon juice, or water; add 1-2 tbsp total for desired consistency
Optional Topping
- Pumpkin spice blend or cinnamon for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan well.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin spice blend. Ensure everything is evenly distributed.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, vegetable oil, buttermilk, and butternut squash puree until nicely combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir gently with a spatula or spoon until you no longer see any dry flour streaks. Do not overmix; a few lumps are fine.
- Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and spread it out evenly.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Once done, take the pan out of the oven and let the bread cool in the pan for about 10 minutes.
- Carefully turn the loaf out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- (Optional Glaze) While the bread cools (or once it's cool), whisk together the icing sugar and your chosen liquid in a small bowl until smooth and drizzle-able. Add liquid a tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
- (Optional Topping) Once the bread is completely cool, drizzle the glaze (if using) over the top and sprinkle with a little extra pumpkin spice blend or cinnamon (if using).
- Slice and enjoy!
Notes
- Don't overmix the batter; stir only until just combined to prevent dense bread.
- Measure flour accurately by spooning it into the cup and leveling (don't scoop directly from bag).
- Rely on the toothpick test for doneness, as oven temperatures vary.
- Cool the bread completely on a wire rack to ensure proper texture.
- You can prep ingredients ahead (puree, whisked dry ingredients). Storage:
- Store cooled bread wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or foil, or in an airtight container.
- Keeps at room temperature for 3-4 days, in the fridge for up to a week.
- Freezes well for up to 3 months; wrap tightly (whole or sliced) and thaw at room temperature. Substitutions & Variations:
- Canned pumpkin puree or sweet potato puree can be used instead of butternut squash.
- Melted butter or coconut oil can substitute vegetable oil (may slightly change flavor/texture).
- Brown sugar or maple sugar can be used instead of white sugar for deeper flavor.
- Plain yogurt or sour cream thinned with a little milk can substitute buttermilk.
- Add ½ to 1 cup of chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts), chocolate chips (dark, white), or dried cranberries by folding them in with the wet ingredients before combining. Muffin Variation:
- Pour batter into greased muffin tins (fill about two-thirds full).
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.