There is expectation and then there is reality. It’s a good thing when reality meets with expectation. Exceeding it is fabulous. The opposite brings only disappointment. Then there is the turn or twist when something turns out different and yet better than you ever thought. Cooking and baking with seasonal produce has its challenges. You imagine the end result. You can taste it before it happens. Then once it is done there is the occasional surprise. Such is the case with this spiced pear pecan bread.
Pears began to appear at the local farmers market. It was nice to see something beside the usual for the past few months. I dove right in and was inspired to make spiced pear sauce. It’s like applesauce except made with pears. The next inspiration was to bake this lovely fall quick bread full of pear flavor for the Twelve Loaves challenge. Using that sauce was the key. I just knew it. I found a recipe for an applesauce bread and thought it was the perfect model. I got to work on it right away. It came out of the oven so beautifully I didn’t want to slice it.
How does the Spiced Pear Pecan Bread taste? Like a lightly spiced bread filled with pecans. If you try hard, really hard, and concentrate you will taste pear ever so slightly. Next time I’ll try grating a pear and adding it to the mix and see what happens. Or I might not. I’ve been eating this bread like there is no tomorrow. You probably don’t want to know how thick I’ve been slicing it for my breakfast. Is there such a thing as a wedge of bread? Anyway, toasted with some butter slathered on is heavenly.
Do you visit farmers markets often? The one near where I live is only open on Thursday afternoon. I don’t get there as often as I want. I do come home with a big bag of goodies each time I go. It’s exciting to see new or different items as the seasons change. Stay tuned to see what I find next…
The Twelve Loaves Challenge for September is bread inspired by farmers market finds. Take a look at what the talented bakers made for the challenge:
- Ausytes – Lithuanian Onion and Bacon Buns by Karen at Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Blueberry Muffins by Liz at That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Broccoli Cornbread by Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious
- Carrot Quick Bread by Holly at A Baker’s House
- Homemade Pizza with Onions, Zucchini and Green Peppers by Rossella at Ma che ti sei mangiato
- Italian BLT Focaccia by Anne at From My Sweet Heart
- Spiced Pear Pecan Bread by Renee at Magnolia Days
- Strawberry Lime Almond Danish Braid by Paula at Vintage Kitchen Notes
- Zucchini and Caramelized Onion Pissaladière by Lora at Cake Duchess
- Zucchini Sandwich Bread by Dionne at Try Anything Once Culinary
Spiced Pear Pecan Bread
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg at room temperature
- 1 cup spiced pear sauce
- 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 2/3 cups milk at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped pecans divided
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9- X 5-inch loaf pan.
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Whisk together flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
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Beat egg in a medium bowl. Add pear sauce, brown sugar, milk, oil, and vanilla. Whisk to combine.
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Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Stir just until moistened. Fold in 1/2 cup chopped pecans.
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Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle top with remaining 1/2 cup pecans.
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Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
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Cool bread in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove bread from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.
Recipe Notes
A recipe for pecan bread made with spiced pear sauce. It is a moist quick bread filled and topped with pecans. It is great for breakfast or a snack.
Recipe adapted from Cinnamon Applesauce Bread on the McCormick website.
#TwelveLoaves September: Farmers Market. After a delicious savory month of August breads, we are taking a trip to the Farmers Markets! Our September baking mission is about baking bread with something sweet or savory you find at the Farmers Market. After seeing all the beautiful figs and zucchini being posted on Facebook these weeks, it was an easy decision to make September a tribute to the Farmers Market. Share your September Farmers Market Bread (yeast or quick bread). Let’s get baking!
Want to add your bread to the collection with the Linky tool this month? Here’s what you need to do!
- When you post your Twelve Loaves bread on your blog, make sure that you mention the Twelve Loaves challenge in your blog post; this helps us to get more members as well as share everyone’s posts. Please make sure that your bread is inspired by the theme!
- Please link your post to the linky tool at the bottom of my blog. It must be bread baked to the Twelve Loaves theme.
- Have your Twelve Loaves bread that you baked this September, 2013, and posted on your blog by September 30, 2013.
#TwelveLoaves is a monthly bread baking party. It was created by Lora from Cake Duchess and runs so smoothly thanks to the help of the lovely Paula from Vintage Kitchen Notes and Renee from Magnolia Days.
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Paula @ Vintage Kitchen Notes says
You made the perfect bread to showcase that wonderful pear sauce! I can well imagine it toasted with butter and honey too, it cries fall farmer’s market Renee! I make a pear coffee cake, and be careful with the amount of moistness in the batter if you grate a pear next time. And I always cut it very thick, I can’t stand a thin slice!
Renee says
Thank you so much Paula and I will be looking for your pear coffee cake. I hope the recipe is on your blog.
Lora @cakeduchess says
So nice that this bread exceeded your expectation. You know Renee it is like a happy preclude to fall (If it ever gets here to us in steamy paradise). Would be perfect now with a hot cup of a coffee. Thanks for your help this month, Renee!
Renee says
Thanks Lora and you know I have so much fun with Twelve Loaves. I’m glad to help.
Liz says
Pears are my favorite autumn fruit!!! I can’t wait to bake up some pear bread…yours looks marvelous, Renee.
Renee says
Thanks Liz! I go through my share and probably a few other people’s share of pears each fall.
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says
I never cook with pears enough. This bread is calling me.
Renee says
Then you must bake this bread soon Maureen.
Jen @ Jen's Favorite Cookies says
I love pecans, I bet this bread tastes amazing!
Renee says
It does taste amazing (if I do say so myself). And I love pecans so much especially in baking.
Dorothy at ShockinglyDelicious says
Perfect in every way. Beautiful #TwelveLoaves creation!
Renee says
Thank you so much Dorothy.
Holly says
You really made the pears sing in this bread! I think I’d find an excuse to eat it at breakfast, lunch and dinner too. And maybe with tea in between! Can you tell this bread wouldn’t last long at my house?
Renee says
It didn’t last long here either. I gave my mom a big chunk of it too.
The Ninja Baker says
LOL. A wedge is the same thing as a slice, isn’t it? Your description of the spiced bread has me sniffing the heady scents across the country!
P.s. There are many Farmers Markets in this neighborhood. You and your hubby are always welcome to visit. Love to play tour guide =)
Renee says
Yes, I suppose a wedge is a slice – a very big slice. You are lucky to have many markets in your neighborhood. I really don’t know why it isn’t that way here. There are so many farms and gardens around.
[email protected] says
Oh Renee…this is a BEAUTIFUL bread! I love that pecan crust! I think that sometimes I really enjoy a more subtle flavor about something. Either that, or you could make some pear butter to slather on? I think I could devour that entire loaf before noon! : )
Renee says
Oh now pear butter is a fabulous idea! I must get on that right away.
Karen @ Karen's Kitchen Stories says
If it’s tasty, then it’s a great idea! The bread is just gorgeous and the pecans look so perfect on top of the bread.
Renee says
I think is the prettiest loaf I’ve baked in a long time. I really did have a hard time slicing it.
Nancy @ gottagetbaked says
Renee, that loaf is gorgeous! I don’t blame you for not wanting to cut into it and ruin its beauty but I probably wouldn’t be able to control myself given how amazing this must have smelled. I love the spicy pear flavour. I can’t wait buy pears so that I can start baking with them, starting with this recipe!
Renee says
Thanks Nancy. Although it only has barely a hint of pear flavor. Tremendously good anyway.