_900.png "Butternut Squash & Apple Cider Bread")
Pumpkin and spice is a classic combination for fall baking (and for good reason, it's delicious!), but have you ever tried baking with butternut squash?!
Some canned pumpkin purées are actually made from one or more types of winter squashes, like butternut! Very similar is texture and flavour, butternut squash provides a little extra sweetness.
This butternut squash and apple cider bread recipe is packed with warm fall spices like cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and ginger, and loaded with apple flavour from the apple cider and the glorious chunks of fresh Honeycrisp apples.
We also cut out a lot of the refined sugar commonly found in dessert breads by opting to use our delicious local honey from Rosewood Estates as the main sweetener instead.
Give this recipe a try next time you're craving something pumpkin spice!
Meet Our Farmers & Producers
Boston Springs Farm
The beautiful butternut squash in this Butternut Squash & Apple Cider Bread is from our friends at Boston Springs Farm in Waterford, ON!
Owned and operated by Shane Macmillan and Debbie Scheeringa, Boston Spring Farms grow a variety of vegetables including hot peppers, tomatoes, zucchini and, of course, squash!
They use integrated pest management and their products are grown both in greenhouses and in the fields.
K2 Milling
If you've tried any of our local flours from K2 Milling, you know the difference in flavour of these incredible flours and you'll taste it in this recipe. Mike Hayhoe, owner and operator of K2 Milling, mills an amazing diversity of grains from grits, light flours, coarse flours, to dried fruits, vegetables, cereals, even quinoa!
Mark's primary goal is to mill artisanal, high quality products that retain both the unique properties of each grain as well as the nutrition!
Avalon's Orchard
The organic, pasteurized apple cider in this recipe is from Avalon's Orchard. Avalon Orchards is an organic apple orchard in Innisfil, ON. They've been growing naturally disease resistant varieties of apples such as Nova Scotia Spy, Liberty, Freedom, Redfree, Prima, and Nova Scotia Macintosh to allow them to grow their apples organically.
Homestead Farm
All of our eggs are from Homestead Farms and their community of Mennonite Farmers they source their organic, free roaming eggs from. All their eggs come from small flocks that receive a high level of care.
Pristine Gourmet
The cold-pressed Ontario canola oil used in this recipe is sourced from Pristine Gourmet in Norfolk, ON.
Owned and operated by Jason Persall, Pristine Gourmet follows conventional growing practices. All products are non-GMO and made with local ingredients!
Rosewood Estates
The amazing local honey in this recipe is from our friends at Rosewood Estates Winery, a family owned and operated winery and meadery located in the Niagara region.
Rosewood Estates uses sustainable bee-keeping practices and integrated pest management.
Norfolk Fruit Growers
Norfolk Fruit Growers is a cooperatively owned and managed venture located in Simcoe County and the gorgeous Honeycrisp apples used in this butternut squash and apple cider bread recipe are sourced from Norfolk.
There are 10 active members in this cooperative and their combined orchard acreage is 1100 – and represent almost 12% of apples grown commercially in Ontario!
Their innovation has allowed NFGA to develop technologies for meticulous grading, washing and packaging – all elements to guarantee top notch quality of local apples year round.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 Boston Springs butternut squash (to make the required 3/4 cup butternut squash purée - instructions below)
- 2 x Norfolk Honeycrisp apples
- 2 + 1/2 cups K2 Milling AP flour
- 1/3 cup Avalon Orchard's apple cider
- 2 x Homestead Farm eggs
- 1 cup Rosewood Estates honey
- 1/3 cup Pristine Gourmet canola oil (or vegetable/coconut oil)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
Method:
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Make Your Butternut Squash Purée
Cut your butternut squash in half vertically, scoop out the seeds and discard.
Place your butternut squash flat side down on a parchment paper lined baking sheet drizzled with a little bit of oil. Place in the oven to roast for 40 minutes, or until the flesh gives way easily when pierced with a knife.
Allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before handling. Once slightly cooled, flip your squash over and scoop the flesh out with a spoon and place into a large bowl.
Transfer the scooped squash into a food processor and purée until smooth.
Make Your Batter
In a large bowl, add your butternut squash purée, eggs, honey, canola oil, apple cider, brown sugar, spices, salt, and baking soda and whisk until combined.
Peel and cut up your Honeycrisp apples into small chunks and set aside.
Sift in your flour and gently fold into your wet ingredients until fully incorporated. Add your apple chunks and fold into the batter.
Grease a loaf pan with some butter or oil and pour your batter into the pan.
Bake Your Loaf
Bake at 350°F for 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of the loaf comes out clean.
Let cool for 10 minutes and then remove from the loaf pan. Slice and serve warm with some local butter and honey!
Did You Try This Recipe?
If so, we'd love to see your finished product of your Butternut Squash & Apple Cider Bread!
Share a photo and tag us on Instagram at @themarketat100kmfoods.
