This unusual quick bread is full of autumn flavors!
Table of Contents
🗝️ Key takeaways
- This homemade acorn squash bread is so versatile! It can be served as breakfast, a quick afternoon snack or with whipped cream as dessert.
- I love the savory taste with "just the right amount of sweetness" that this moist vegetable bread brings.
- The loaf provides a blank slate for you to add a personal layer of flavor just before baking by finishing with nuts, white chocolate chips, or coconut.
Quick breads are such a great addition for any cook at any level - beginner or experienced.
Learning to master a quick bread means that you have a delicious dish that can be prepared quickly and reliably every time.
🧾 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📖 Variations
- You can use any winter squash in this recipe. Hubbard or butternut squash bread is delicious!
- Try substituting mashed sweet potato instead of pureed squash.
- Add ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts.
- Top with a lemon, orange, or vanilla glaze.
- Stir in toffee pieces.
🔪 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Whisk together the wet ingredients completely.
- Blend the dry ingredients together well. Make sure spices and leavening are equally distributed.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix gently until well combined.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pans and bake. Let the bread cool before slicing.
🥫 How to store leftovers
For uncut loaves of quick bread (or large portions) wrap tightly in plastic wrap, place in a Ziploc, or put in an airtight container.
It will be fine on the counter for up to 3 days.
Freeze
You can freeze for up to 3 months.
I like to cut the acorn squash bread into slices and flash-freeze them on a baking sheet.
Once frozen I put them in a freezer container with parchment between each slice. This way I can grab and thaw just enough for what I need and they won't lose their shape during storage.
💭 Things to know
Expert Tip: Be ready to bake. That means preheat your oven, prepare your pans, and assemble your ingredients. With quick bread, the baking soda and baking powder start the rising process right when they get wet. You want to be ready to go as soon as you combine the wet and dry ingredients.
- You'll want to read up on how to air-fry acorn squash.
- Once your acorn squash is baked you can add it to the bowl of a food processor and pulse it to a smooth puree.
- If you are using frozen squash make sure to thaw and drain it very well before using.
- Don't overmix! Over-mixing develops gluten that makes bread tough. Only stir until the wet ingredients are mixed with dry ingredients.
- Remember if you change to muffins, you will need to adjust the baking time down a few minutes.
Great Idea:
These flavorful loaves of bread make incredible French Toast! Dip slices in a beaten egg base (for extra awesomeness, add a little vanilla, a shake of cinnamon, and an extra spoonful of brown sugar,) fry lightly in butter and serve with warm maple syrup.
👩🍳 FAQs
Winter squash varieties, including acorn, butternut, and pumpkin, grow longer on the vine and that lets the skin get tough. Try putting the squash in the microwave for 3 or 4 minutes, allow it to cool, and it should be easier for you to cut.
Yes! Substituting applesauce in a 1:1 ratio is perfect for muffins and quick breads. So in this recipe, you would swap ¼ cup of applesauce for ¼ cup of vegetable oil. Be aware that it will change the texture a bit.
📚 Related recipes
📞 The last word
Y'all, I love acorn squash.
My mom used to cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, and bake it with a pat of butter and brown sugar in the cavity. I could eat an entire half by myself!
This bread has that luscious, sweet acorn squash flavor. Give it a try - it's a delicious change from pumpkin bread.
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars!
📖 Recipe
Acorn Squash Bread
Print Pin Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 1 cup acorn squash, mashed or pureed
- 1 cups sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Grease and flour your bread pan (or line with parchment) and set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl blend together 1 cup of acorn squash puree, sugar, oil, melted butter, and the eggs.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the squash mixture and mix until no longer lumpy.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared bread pan.
- Generously sprinkle the top of the bread with sugar.
- Bake in your preheated 350°F oven for 45-55 minutes until set.
- A toothpick inserted into the center of the bread should come out clean.
Notes
- If you are using frozen squash make sure to thaw and drain it very well before using.
- Don't overmix! Over-mixing develops gluten that makes bread tough. Only stir until the wet ingredients are mixed with dry ingredients.
- Remember if you change to squash muffins, you will need to adjust the baking time down a few minutes.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
Robert Liquori says
Hi Restless. I really like this recipe as a good starting point for my health bread.
I’ve used banana and pineapple for the longest time but I had butternut and acorn squash left over so I searched and ur recipe is the closest for the my basic bread.
My changes:
Whole wheat flour
Half the sugar
Add in flax meal, flax seed snd old fashioned oats.
Roasted nuts.
We don’t really like sweet things.
Thank you. Rob L.
(I hope ur not insulted)
Oh, if it looked a little dry I added unsweetened apple sauce.