Celebrate your garden’s winter squash bounty by whipping up a loaf of this Winter Squash Quick Bread. Harvested in the fall, winter squashes can keep in a dark, cool place for months. This recipe uses Butternut squash puree, but you can easily substitute Sugar Pumpkin, Acorn, or Carnival squash purees for a delicious bread.

Halve and seed a small butternut squash. Either microwave on HIGH for 7-8 minutes, or roast in a 350°F oven for about 60 minutes, until fork tender. Let cool slightly, then mash the flesh with a fork or use a blender to puree (discard the skin). Reserve 1 cup for this recipe, and save the rest for another recipe.

Whisk together the squash puree, eggs, oil, and sugars until very well combined.

In another bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients all at once. Mix just until combined.

Pour batter into a greased loaf pan.

Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly on top. Bake in the preheated oven for 60-70 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Enjoy!

Winter Squash Quick Bread

Makes 1 loaf

1 cup butternut squash puree (from 1 small roasted butternut squash)

2 eggs

½ cup canola oil

1 cup brown sugar

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon cardamom

¼ teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a loaf pan with nonstick spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together the squash puree, eggs, oil, and sugars until very well combined. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, cardamom, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients all at once, and stir just until combined. Pour into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the 2 Tablespoons brown sugar on top.

Bake in the preheated oven for 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set on a wire rack to cool completely.