I love all the seasons, but fall reigns supreme as my favorite time of year, mostly because it gives me an excuse to bake. It’s as much about filling my home with delectable scents as it is about finding a clever way to warm up in the rapidly cooling Scottish weather. The minute I see the first leaves turn orange and red, I bake Betty Crocker’s maple pecan bread.
Pumpkin spice is a fixture in my fall kitchen, but maple’s sweet, nutty, honeyed, woody notes combined with toasted pecans? It’s autumn made manifest in a quick loaf. It’s reminiscent of a coffee cake but with a nut-studded, fall-friendly twist. The maple flavor is subtle, and the buttery crunch from the pecans tastes like pure autumn magic.
How I Make Betty Crocker’s Maple Pecan Bread
If you’ve ever made banana bread, you’ll find this recipe’s a breeze. You make the batter, pour the mixture into a greased 8 or 9-inch loaf pan, and bake the loaf at 350°F for 55 to 65 minutes. To check for doneness, I use my Thermapen. If it reads 200 to 205°F (93 to 96°C), the loaf’s ready to come out. (You can use the toothpick test, too.) After cooling for 10 minutes, gently remove the loaf from the pan. Set it on a wire rack to cool for at least two hours.
Make a quick glaze by whisking powdered sugar, half-and-half, and maple flavoring in a small bowl. It should be thin and pourable, so add more half-and-half if needed. Drizzle it over the cooled loaf and then finish with chopped pecans.
Credit: Simply Recipes / Camille Berry
Tips and Variations
The original recipe is a thing of beauty—tender, moist, and sweet without being too sweet. I follow the recipe’s serving suggestion and pair it warm with butter pecan ice cream and a cup of coffee or tea. Over the years that I’ve made this recipe, I’ve started experimenting with a few tweaks, some out of necessity, others in my pursuit of the perfect maple pecan loaf.
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Use a higher-fat dairy. Since we don’t have half-and-half in the UK, I’ve used single cream for the last decade. With a higher fat content than half-and-half, it’s a little richer. That’s a major win in my book.
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Replace the oil with browned butter. Oil is a mainstay of quick breads because it produces a tender, moist texture. While I’m a huge fan, I also like using browned butter to give my loaf nutty, toffee-like, and butterscotch notes that pair beautifully with maple and pecans. Butter can make quick breads dry out faster than oil, but frankly, the loaf disappears long before I need to worry, and the flavor payoff is worth it.
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Use brown sugar instead of white. Brown sugar brings a hint of molasses and makes the loaf a little denser and a touch more moist. I also replace a tablespoon or two of sugar with maple syrup for an extra kiss of maple goodness.
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Add a pinch of salt to the glaze. One comment on the original recipe recommends adding a whisper of salt to the glaze. I highly recommend trying it. Just a pinch will do to balance the sweetness.
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Level up your mix-ins. Toast the pecans. Don’t have pecans? Use walnuts. Want it sweeter? Grab a bag of chocolate chips.
Get the Recipe: Betty Crocker’s Maple Pecan Bread
Credit: Simply Recipes / Camille Berry
Read the original article on Simply Recipes