Hey, it’s Fall so that means apples and cinnamon and pumpkin. This recipe features two of those ingredients plus that Southern favorite, pecans, and a touch of rum. You could punch up the “ya’ll” factor by switching out the rum for bourbon if you like. Of course the alcohol evaporates out of the pecan streusal, so the residual flavor is what’s important here, thus use a good quality bourbon like Woodford Reserve, Maker’s Mark or your favorite small batch whiskey.

This pumpkin bread utilizes canned pumpkin too so it’s easy-peasy, but feel free to prepare fresh pumpkin if you like. I am not sure what the outcome may be using fresh due to the varying water content of pumpkin – but I’d love to know how it works out if you do try it. So please let me know!

I hope you enjoy this “bread” that is more like a coffee cake – it’s especially nice with a cup of hot coffee or tea for breakfast or a big cold cup of milk at snack time.

To start the streusal filling melt the brown sugar and water in a saucepan.

Once the sugar dissolves, add the chopped pecans and stir.

Add in the rum (or bourbon) and stir again.

This is ready so remove from the heat and allow to cool while you mix…

Mix the other streusal ingredients together in a small bowl.

Add in the ‘revved’ up pecans, stir and set aside while you make the pumpkin cake batter.

First though, let me introduce you to my new tube pan. It has been buttered and lightly floured. So pretty!

In a bowl or on a piece of parchment paper mix the dry ingredients.

In a large bowl mix the oil and sugar and then add in the eggs, one at time. Beat well.

Here’s the pumpkin, use whatever brand you like. I wondered exactly how much was in this can so…

I measured it and it was just under 2 cups. So if you use fresh pumpkin you have a better gauge than guessing the ounces needed.

Back to the cake…add the dry ingredients into the oil/sugar/egg mixture.

Then stir in the pumpkin.

Pour half the batter into the prepared pan and the top with the streusal.

Pour the rest of the batter on top and pop the pan into the preheated oven.

After about 50 minutes the bread comes out the oven looking great – smells great too!

Remove the bread from the pan and cool on a rack.

This is a moist ‘bread’ with a sweet, crunchy streusal surprise inside.

Pumpkin Bread with pecan rum streusal

Streusal filling

• 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed plus 1 tbl. brown sugar
• ½ heaping cup chopped pecans
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbl flour
• 2 tbl butter
• 2 tbl water
• 1 ½ tbl dark rum (or good quality bourbon)

Cake

• 2 cups all purpose flour (or 1 cup whole wheat and 1 cup all purpose)
• ¼ cup ground flax seed
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. mace or nutmeg
• 2 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
• 1 can pumpkin ( or 1 2/3 cup cooked  fresh pumpkin puree) Do not use pumpkin pie filling!
• 3 eggs

In a skillet melt 1 tbl. brown sugar and whisk in 2 tbl. water. When sugar is dissolved add in the pecans. Stir, turn up the heat slightly and add in the rum. Cook on medium heat about 1 minute or so. Keep stirring, do not allow to burn. Remove from heat and set aside while making the streusal. In a medium bowl mix all other streusal ingredients, adding in pecan mixture last. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sift the flour and then measure. Mix the flour, flax, spices, salt and baking powder together. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat the oil and sugar then add the eggs in one at a time, beating well after each. Add in the flour mixture and then the pumpkin.

Grease and lightly flour a tube or bundt pan*. Pour approximately ½ the batter into the pan, spreading if necessary so it is even. Sprinkle or spoon the streusal mixture evenly on the batter, avoiding getting too close to the outside edges. Pour the rest of the batter over the streusal, covering it completely. Bake for approximately 60 minutes or until a toothpick or skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cool on a rack and invert onto a serving platter.

* Use 2 traditional prepared loaf pans if you like. Pouring ¼ of the batter in each pan, ad the streusal and top each loaf with the remaining batter. Cooking time would be reduced to approximately 45 minutes.