Pumpkin Banana Bread by Bridget

I love bread. Crusty bread, sandwich bread, sweet bread, and definitely quick bread. Pumpkin bread is my favorite, followed closely behind by banana bread. One summer, I even took a morning exercise class at the pool just to justify driving through Starbucks on the way home to buy a slice of pumpkin bread. There’s no way that I expended the calories contained in a pumpkin bread and iced vanilla latte, but man, it helped me get through the class.

 
 

If you love pumpkin and banana, this bread is the best of both worlds. You get pumpkin; you get banana. The comforting spices come through, and the nuts add texture and crunch. Moist, but not crumbly, the bread is perfect for slicing and toasting—or eating out of hand.

 
 

Here’s how I eat it: warm from the oven, or cooled and plain, or warm with butter, or toasted with cream cheese. (I eat a lot of bread.) Psst … have you ever made quick bread French toast? Do it!

Let’s make some bread! This recipe makes two loaves: one for eating, one for sharing.

 
 

Start by whisking the dry ingredients together, including those gorgeous fall spices.

 
 

Next up, mix the batter. Into the bowl go the mashed banana and pumpkin.

 
 

Stir the dry ingredients into the wet.

 
 

Fold in the pecans.

 
 

Divide into two greased loaf pans and bake. (Don’t you love that crack on top?)

 
 

Let the bread cool a bit before slicing, but do be sure to have a piece while it’s still warm.

Pumpkin Banana Bread. Feel free to skip the exercise class first!