Celebrate fall by baking up this delicious pumpkin shaped bread loaf recipe! It’s a super easy bread recipe & its pumpkin shape is perfect for fall!
Pumpkin Shaped Bread Loaf Recipe
Like so many people, the COVID quarantine really got me into baking. I baked many, many, many loaves of bread, too many bakery-style chocolate chip cookies to count, and I even made cinnamon scones a couple of times. I’ve always really enjoyed baking but quarantine really did kick that up a notch.
Over the summer, I definitely baked significantly less and spent more time outdoors – but now that we’re back into the cooler part of the year, I figured I would get back into baking.
I don’t know about you guys, but I love fall. Especially the early weeks of fall when it’s still so lovely to go outside and go hiking. I just love how beautiful this time of year is and of course, I love all things pumpkin spice. That is why when I was making a loaf of bread this week, I decided to make a pumpkin spice loaf that is shaped like an actual pumpkin!
This fall, in particular, I feel like there’s so much we’re missing out on. We’re not going to pumpkin patches or haunted houses. We aren’t attending any Halloween parties or handing out candy to trick-or-treaters. It’s kind of sad but it’s also so important to stay safe and smart not just for ourselves but for our family and friends.
I think that’s why this year more so than in previous years, I’ve poured my fall excitement into baking and crafts more than ever. It’s just one easy way to make fall still feel fun and exciting.
What do you need for this recipe?
For the ingredients you will need:
- Flour
- Salt
- Yeast Packet
- Pumpkin Spice
- Cinnamon
- Water
- Olive oil
You likely have most of these things in your pantry already but if not, they are easily (or should be – there were some shortages during COVID for a bit) available at the grocery store! You will also need butcher’s twine (to create the pumpkin curves), and a ceramic pot or cast iron pan with a lid to cook the bread.
How long does it take to bake this bread?
It does take a bit of time to make this bread – a few hours, actually. The most time-consuming part of this recipe is not the actual cooking aspect of it – it’s the time you must allow for the bread to rise. This is an important step though so don’t skip it!
Pumpkin Shaped Bread Loaf Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 fresh yeast packet
- 2 tsp Pumpkin Spice
- 1 Tsp Cinnamon
- 2 cups (360 ml) water
- Olive oil
Other:
- Butchers Twine
- Ceramic pot with lid (or cast iron pan with lid)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl combine flour with salt, pumpkin spice, and cinnamon. Mix together with a spoon.
- In a separate small bowl, dissolve your yeast packet in 1/2 cup of water. Allow it to activate for a few minutes.
- Once the yeast looks like it’s beginning to foam/bubble, add it into your flour mixture along with 1 cup of water.
- Begin mixing the ingredients together. The mixture will quickly form a sticky dough and at this point, you may find you need to add slightly more water in order to incorporate all the flour together – I gradually add the final 1/2 cup as I knead the dough with the remaining flour.
- At a certain point, you will need to begin kneading your dough on a countertop rather than in the bowl. You will first want to spread a bit of flour onto the counter so that the dough doesn't stick. Then begin kneading the dough until the flour is completely mixed into the dough.
- In a large bowl (I typically will clean and reuse my mixing bowl from earlier) pour some olive oil into the bottom and then place your dough over top. I also like to pour a bit of olive oil over the top of the dough. Then cover the bowl with a cloth. Allow it to rest for 2-3 hours at room temperature. (It will triple in size during this time)
- After 2-3 hours, you will shape your dough. I folded the dough into a ball-like shape and then begin wrapping and tying butchers twine around the dough in a placement that would replicate the curves of a pumpkin. You do not want to tie these too tightly as the dough will expand more as it bakes.
- Once you have achieved the pumpkin shape, add some flour onto a clean cloth and place the bread on that cloth. Then fold the cloth over the top of the dough and keep covered for an addition 30 minutes
- Now, preheat the oven to 470 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Once the oven has preheated, place your dough into your ceramic pot and cover with the lid. Place your pot into the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, remove the lid and place the pot back into the oven for an additional 20-25 minutes – or until the bread has a golden brown appearance.
- Allow bread to cool before cutting.
- Enjoy!
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