Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Pumpkin Swirl Bread
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This incredible Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Pumpkin Swirl Bread captures the true essence of fall. It’s full of warmness in every bite. This is a recipe that uses bread flour for a truly bready and chewy feel in every bite. The pumpkin adds some nice sweet and earthy notes, and then comes that incredible cinnamon punch! Make it, freeze it and have toast a slice every morning with a cup of black coffee. Those would be some seriously delicious mornings.
If you've been following my blog, you know I'm all about cozy breakfasts and this bread is no exception. The pumpkin flavor is really there and the taste of cinnamon is a whole vibe. What I love the most is that even if it takes some time to make because of the proofing times for the dough, you will have breakfast for days!!
Imagine making before the Thanksgiving week, freezing it and then don’t having to think of breakfast for the whole holiday weekend. Just toast it to perfection and voilà! Pure fall magic in every bite.
For this recipe I used bread flour instead of all-purpose. It’s higher protein content not only gives more structure to the loaf, but you have that comforting bready feel and chewiness that can be missed in yeasted breads made only with ap flour.
Let’s jump in at some notes on making this Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Pumpkin Swirl Bread!
How to make Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Pumpkin Swirl Bread
You don’t have to bake this bread right when you want to serve it, you can make it the day before and I promise you it will as soft as fresh as right out of the oven. It will taste ven better because the gluten would be completely relax by now and the bread would have absorbed some of the flavors, making everything taste well balanced.
Start by melting the butter and mixing the water with some the flour to make the sponge (known as the tangzhong method) because both need to be cooled down. If you need to speed up this, place them in the fridge for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.
Gather the rest of the ingredients and make the dough according to the steps below in the recipe.
When putting the dough to rise, remember that doughs love warm environments (who doesn't!). Wrap it with a cozy throw blanket, cardigan or kitchen towel.
While the dough is rising, make the brown sugar-cinnamon mixture and put the butter for the filling to soften.
Line with parchment a 9” x 5” loaf pan.
When the dough has risen, stretch it over a well floured are, smear the butter and sprinkle the cinnamon-brown sugar mixture. Cut the log in half and twist it. Now this part can be messy. You just to trust that you can always start twisting again. Make sure to hold tightly each side when working with them.
Proof for about 30 minutes. If bubble holes start showing up, the dough is over-proofing and you need to bake immediately.
Preheat oven to 375°. Bake for 15 minutes and then decrease to 350°. Sounds like a long time but this is to make sure the dough is cooked all the way to the center. The high heat the beginning gives the loaf a good last rise as well.
After baked I like to brush more melted butter to make the top soft and shiny. And you can eat this like that, but wouldn't you be more happy and drizzle a cream cheese glaze? Genuine question!
Shop the post:
Pre-cut parchment paper.
I always prefer using a straight rolling pin.
A small pastry brush.
Loving this mixing bowl right now.
3 recipes I think you’ll love if you’re loving this one:
Pecan Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing
Creamy Pumpkin Cheesecake with Salted Caramel and Brown Butter Pecan Crust
Mallorca Bread Buns with Guava and Cheese
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What I love about this bread is that you can slice it and freeze it as you would do with any other bread. Then, on those morning that you don’t want the fuss of making breakfast, but you still want all the joy and coziness that fall mornings evoke, you take a piece, toast it in the oven and serve it with a hot cup of coffee. Both your heart and your kitchen will be filled with the happy aromas of fall!
Don’t forget to share and tag me in Instagram (@devamadeo), Facebook (@DevAmadeo) when you make it. I want to see everything you made!
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Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Pumpkin Swirl Bread
Ingredients
Pumpkin Bread
◯ Butter – 8 TBSP, 114g + 4 TBSP/57g to brush after baking
◯ Water – ½ cup, 115g
◯ Unbleached bread flour – 4 cups, 505g
◯ Fine sea salt – 1 Tsp, 6g
◯ Buttermilk (you may use regular milk) – ¾ cup, 155g
◯ Egg, at room temperature – 1 large
◯ Natural granulated sugar – ½ cup, 110g
◯ Instant dry yeast – 3 ½ Tsp, 11g
◯ Vanilla - 2 Tsp, 9g
◯ Pumpkin purée - ½ cup, 126g
◯ Vegetable oil to grease the bottom of a large bowl
Brown sugar cinnamon filling
◯ Dark brown sugar - ¾ cup, 143g
◯ Natural granulated sugar - ¼ cup, 50g
◯ Saigon cinnamon - 2 TBSP
◯ Pinch of nutmeg and cardamom (optional)
◯ Butter - 6 TBSP/85g
Cream Cheese Glaze
◯ Cream cheese, softened - 4 oz, 133g
◯ Confectioner’s sugar, sifted - 2 cups, 400g
◯ Butter, softened - 4 TBSP, 57g
Details
Yield:
a 9” x 5” loaf pan, about 12 slices
Total time:
3 hours, including proofing times
Active time:
25 minutes for the dough, 10 minutes for stretching and shaping the loaf, 10 minutes to make the glaze
Baking time:
25 minutes
Equipment:
9” x 5” loaf pan, parchment paper, rolling pin
Steps:
Making the bread:
Gently melt the 8 TBSP/114g stick of butter, do not let it come oily. Let it cool down.
Mix the ½ cup/115g of water with 3 tablespoons of the 4 cups/505g of flour. Heat in the microwave until you have a smooth pudding-like paste. Start with two 15-second intervals and keep heating in 10-second intervals if necessary to prevent scorching the mixture. Set aside to cool down.
Mix the rest of the flour with the 1 teaspoon/6g of salt.
With a paper towel oil with vegetable oil the inside of a large bowl.
In a mixing bowl pour the cooled down butter butter, the ¾ cup/155g of buttermilk, the egg, the ½ cup/110g of sugar, the 3 ½ teaspoon/11g of instant yeast, the 2 teaspoons/9g of vanilla, the ½ cup/126g of pumpkin purée and the cooled down flour-water mixture. Mix using the paddle attachment until well incorporated.
Add about 1 cup of the flour and mix. Switch to the hook attachment and add the remaining flour. Knead in medium-slow speed (#2 in the Kitchen Aid) for 25 minutes. Dough should not stick to the walls but it will stick to the bottom.
Transfer dough to oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and loosely wrap bowl with a puffy kitchen towel or throw blanket. Place in a warm area of your home where there is no air draft. Let the dough rise and double in size, about 1 ½ to 2 hours depending on your home temperature. Surface should look matte, not shiny.
While the dough is rising, mix the ¾ cup/143g of dark brown sugar, the ¼ cup/50g of natural granulated sugar and the 2 tablespoons of the Saigon cinnamon and a bit of any other spice you may want to add such as nutmeg, cardamom or ginger.
About 20 minutes before the dough end proofing, put to soften the 6 tablespoons/85g of butter.
Arrange a parchment paper in a 9” x 5” loaf pan.
Uncover dough and punch it once to deflate it. Transfer to a well floured surface. Stretch until you have a long rectangle, about 12” x 18”. Spread the 6 tablespoons of the softened butter. Sprinkle evenly the brown sugar-cinnamon mixture. Press it down a bit so it stays in place as much as possible.
Beginning on your side, start rolling the dough as tight as possible. Rotate 90° so now the longer side is facing you. Using a sharp knife cut in half ¾ of the log. Open both sides. Press firmly one side and cross it over the other. Repeat 2 or 3 times, depending on the dough you have left. Fold in the tips of the log. Carefully transfer to the prepared loaf pan. Cover and let it rise for about 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375°.
Bake loaf for 15 minutes. Decrease oven temperature to 350° and bake 10 more minutes, until the exposed dough at the top looks deep golden brown (do not look the area where the cinnamon is). If necessary, cover with foil and bake 5 extra minutes.
While the loaf is baking, melt the 4 tablespoons/57g of butter.
Retire from oven and brush the butter on top. Let them cool down for a few minutes before drizzling the cream cheese glaze. Let cool down completely to set.
If there’s some raw areas in the center, toast in a 350° countertop over for 5 to 10 minutes.
Have a piece and enjoy!!!
This bread will be soft and good for a few days, especially if stored in an airtight container or sealed plastic bag. You can reheat it in a counter top oven at 350° for less than 5 minutes and let it cool down before eating.
To freeze:
Cut the bread in thick slices and freeze in a large double freezer plastic bag.
Place frozen in a countertop oven at 350° and heat for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on thickness.
Making the cream cheese glaze:
You may do this by hand with a hand whisk.
Place cream cheese in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer and using the whisk attachment or the beaters if using an electric hand mixer, beat it in medium-slow speed, just until light and airy with no large lumps.
Start adding the confectioner’s sugar, waiting until an addition is incorporated before adding more. Scrape down the bowl to make sure all the cream cheese is incorporating well.
Add the softened butter, about a tablespoon at a time.
As always, if glaze is too runny add a bit more of sugar; if it’s too stiff add a bit of liquid like drops of lemon juice or a milk. You can always check my guide on how to make a simple glaze.
