How to Make the Color of Pumpkin Bread Brown

Food coloring can be used to make pumpkin bread appear more brown.

For much of the country autumn is the time when the weather cools down and the leaves change color. It is also the time when many root vegetables come into season. Farms harvest squash and pumpkins during these cooler fall months. If you think that pumpkin is only good for a pie on Thanksgiving, remember that you can make pumpkin-flavored foods throughout the year using canned product. Try this visual spin on a classic which incorporate both pumpkin and food coloring for a brown pumpkin bread.

Things You'll Need

• Oven
• 4 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups white all-purpose flour
• Fine mesh strainer
• 2 Mixing bowls
• Wire whisk
• 2 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 6 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 neutral flavored oil
• 30 drops brown food coloring
• 3 15 to 16 ounce cans pumpkin
• 2 cups toasted pumpkin seeds
• Spatula
• 2 9-by-5-by-3 inch loaf pans
• Butter
• 1/4 cup flour

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Sift the cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and flour into a mixing bowl using the strainer.

3. Mix the sugars, eggs, vanilla extract, oil and food coloring into a separate mixing bowl with a whisk.

4. Divide the dry ingredients into thirds.

5. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until all of the dry goods are fully incorporated.

6. Repeat step 4 two more times to mix in the rest of the dry goods.

7. Fold the pumpkin and pumpkin seeds into the rest of the mixture using your spatula.

8. Grease both loaf pans with a thin layer of butter.

9. Dust both loaf pans with the remaining flour.

10. Pour half of the dough into one loaf pan, and the other half in the other pan.

11. Cook the loaves until you can insert a knife into the center and it comes out clean. Start checking the bread after it has cooked for about 75 minutes.

Tips & Warnings

• You can vary the oil in this recipe. Vegetable and canola oil both have a neutral flavor. Coconut oil complements many baked goods nicely but does noticeably change the flavor of the bread.

• Add additional spices if you want more flavorful bread. Dry ginger, cloves and nutmeg all compliment the flavor of pumpkin bread.

• If you have fresh pumpkin you can substitute it for canned pumpkin in equal amounts. One can of pumpkin is about 2 cups, so you can substitute 2 cups of fresh cooked, mashed pumpkin for each 15 or 16 ounce can of pumpkin.

• Substitute toasted sliced almonds if you do not have pumpkin seeds.

• Mix in additional food coloring before you divide the batter if 30 drops does not make the color deep enough for your needs.

• Depending on the elevation where you live, and other factors, your cooking time may vary. Be sure to check your loaves regularly so that the bread does not overcook.

References

• Gourmet Sleuth: Pumpkin, canned

Resources

• Tablespoon: Double Rainbow Bread