Move over pumpkin, there is a new loaf in town! Butternut Squash Bread is moist, fluffy, flavorful, and delicious. It’s loaded with real butternut squash and warm fall spices that and brings the pumpkin spice season to your home.
Plus, this fall loaf cake is incredibly easy to make with a few baking staples and minimal prep time. Serve it for dessert at Thanksgiving dinner, as a school snack, or during a holiday brunch.
Why You'll Love this Butternut Squash Bread
- Made with real butternut squash. I like to make my own homemade puree and I find butternut squash so much easier to work with than a big, heavy pumpkin. Plus, it is so incredibly flavourful. However, if you are crunched for time or cannot get your hands on butternut squash, you can easily substitute it with pumpkin puree and make classic pumpkin bread.
- Easy to make. This simple loaf cake comes together with a few baking pantry staples along with butternut squash puree and pumpkin spice. You will spend less than 10 minutes of actual prep work before you are ready to pop the butternut squash bread into the oven.
- It’s perfectly moist. Butternut squash puree adds more than just flavor. Fresh vegetables like zucchini, eggplant, pumpkin or carrots have the potential to transform the texture and moisture of baked goods (like in Zucchini Muffins and Spiced Carrot Muffins). Butternut squash puree works the same way! It adds a nice density and moisture without sacrificing fluffiness or texture.
- The classic fall flavors. The big bonus of baking this "pumpkin" bread is the incredible aroma that fills my kitchen, which comes from the delicious fall flavours of the pumpkin spice blend. I am talking cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
- It’s nutritious. Butternut squash bread because it's a delicious and nutritious way to enjoy one of my favorite winter vegetables. The bread is packed with fiber, vitamin A, and vitamin C, and it's a great source of antioxidants.
Ingredient Notes
To make this delicious Butternut Squash Bread, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):
- butternut squash puree - feel free to use store-bought canned puree or homemade. You can even substitute it with pumpkin puree and make pumpkin bread instead.
- baking staples - including all-purpose flour, baking powder + soda, salt, and sugar.
- pumpkin spice blend - you can substitute with ground cinnamon if you’d like.
- eggs
- vanilla extract
- vegetable oil
- buttermilk - feel free to substitute with full-fat milk instead.
- icing - made with confectioners' sugar, pumpkin spice blend (or substitute with cinnamon), and a liquid such as maple syrup, orange or lemon juice, or water.
You will also need measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowls, a 9x5-inch loaf pan, and a wire cooling rack.
How to Make the Best Butternut Squash Bread
- Combine dry ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin spice together.
- Combine wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and slowly add sugar until the mixture turns a light yellow color. Add vanilla extract, oil, buttermilk, and butternut squash puree and mix thoroughly.
- Add dry to wet. Slowly add in the dry ingredients while continuously mixing the batter, until just combined and no dry ingredients are visible.
- Bake. Lightly grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan. Pour the batter into the pan and bake in a 350F preheated oven for 60-70 minutes. Check if it is ready by sticking a toothpick in the center of the loaf bread and then withdrawing it. The toothpick will come out clean when it's ready.
- Cool. Place the pan on a wire cooling rack and allow the loaf to cool down completely before removing it from the pan.
How to Serve
Serve this butternut squash “pumpkin” bread as is, or with a drizzle of icing on top. To make the icing:
- Mix the icing sugar with liquid by adding it in in slowly and mixing well until you get the consistency that you like.
- Drizzle the icing over the loaf bread to cover it completely. Sift some pumpkin spice or cinnamon on top for decoration, if desired.
I also like to serve this butternut squash loaf cake with a warm drink such as tea, coffee, apple cider, or hot chocolate.
Storing Instructions
- How to store: Butternut squash bread is best kept at room temperature in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in aluminum foil for up to 2-3 days. This will keep the butternut squash bread fresh and moist. You can also extend the life of the squash loaf by storing it in the refrigerator. Allow it to cool to room temperature first, then cover tightly with plastic wrap to retain moisture. Store in the refrigerator for up to one week.
- How to freeze: Once cooled to room temperature, wrap the whole butternut squash bread (or individual slices) in plastic cling wrap and place into a freezer bag. Freeze for up to three months. Thaw frozen pumpkin bread by transferring them into the refrigerator overnight.
More Butternut Squash Recipes
- 30 Best Butternut Squash Recipes
- Butternut Squash Curry with Chickpeas
- Butternut Squash Salad
- Mashed Butternut Squash
- Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
- Butternut Squash Lasagna
Did you make this recipe? I would greatly appreciate a comment and rating below, letting me know what you thought of the recipe. You can also snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @aheadofthyme or share it on the Pinterest pin so that I can follow along.
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Recipe
Butternut Squash Bread
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Move over pumpkin, there is a new loaf in town! Butternut Squash Bread is moist, fluffy, flavorful, and brings the pumpkin spice season to your home.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon pumpkin spice blend
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ⅔ cup buttermilk
- 1 cup butternut squash puree
For the icing:
- 1 cup icing sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons liquid, maple syrup, orange or lemon juice, or water
- pumpkin spice blend (or cinnamon)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- In a medium mixing bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin spice together.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and slowly add sugar until the mixture turns a light yellow color. Add vanilla extract, oil, buttermilk, and butternut squash puree and mix thoroughly.
- Slowly add in the dry ingredients while continuously mixing the batter, until just combined and no dry ingredients are visible.
- Lightly grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 60-70 minutes. Check if it is ready by sticking a toothpick in the center of the loaf bread and then withdrawing it. The toothpick will come out clean when it's ready.
- Place the pan on a wire cooling rack and allow the loaf to cool down completely before removing it from the pan.
Make the icing:
- Mix the icing sugar with liquid by adding it in in slowly and mixing well until you get the consistency that you like.
- Drizzle the icing over the loaf bread to cover it completely. Sift some pumpkin spice or cinnamon on top for decoration, if desired.
Notes
How to store: Butternut squash bread is best kept at room temperature in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in aluminum foil for up to 2-3 days. This will keep the butternut squash bread fresh and moist. You can also extend the life of the squash loaf by storing it in the refrigerator. Allow it to cool to room temperature first, then cover tightly with plastic wrap to retain moisture. Store in the refrigerator for up to one week.
How to freeze: Once cooled to room temperature, wrap the whole butternut squash bread (or individual slices) in plastic cling wrap and place into a freezer bag. Freeze for up to three months. Thaw frozen pumpkin bread by transferring them into the refrigerator overnight.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hours
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
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Maret says
Delicious and moist. A keeper recipe! I did NOT make the icing but added an additional 1/4 cup sugar to the batter as compensation. The loaf was still on the sweet side.
While some may frown upon a review with changes, I have used the following substitutions with tasty results:
Replace half the flour with white whole wheat flour,
Replace pumpkin spice blend with 1.5 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp each nutmeg & cardamom
Replace 1/2 cup sugar with brown sugar and Reduce white sugar to 3/4 cup (total 1 1/4 cup sugars)
Note: this is still on the sweet side for me, so I plan to reduce sugars more
Anna M says
Just made this but veganised everything and it and it turned out AMAZING! Thank you.
Sam | Ahead of Thyme says
That's amazing, so glad it worked with your substitutions! Let us know how you veganised it 🙂
Pauline says
I already made this loaf 3 times, it tastes amazing! I sometimes mix carrot and butternut 😉 Thank you for this receipe!
Sam | Ahead of Thyme says
That's awesome!! So glad you like the recipe. I will have to try it with carrot as well next time 🙂
Deliana says
Wow this loaf turned out amazing! Thank you for the recipe!
Sam | Ahead of Thyme says
You are so welcome! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Nicollette says
I’ve made this recipe about 3 times with butternut quash and pumpkin purée and it’s delicious. It’s so easy and simply to make. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
JINKY DE JESUS GIO says
Thanks for sharing your recipe. Will definitely try to make one 🙂