Pumpkin Bread (Really Good)

Really Good Pumpkin Bread

From: Cook's Illustrated Issue No. 118
Makes: 2 loaves

Ingredients:

Topping:

• 5 tbs packed light brown sugar
• 1 tbs all-purpose flour
• 1 tbs butter, softened
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp salt

Bread:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 (15-oz) can unsweetened pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 4 ounces cream cheese cut into 12 pieces
• 4 large eggs
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped fine

Directions:

1. For the topping: Using fingers, mix all ingredients together in a bowl until well combined and topping resembles wet sand; set aside.
2. For the Bread: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch loaf pans. 
3. Whisk flour, baking powder, and baking soda together in a bowl.
4. Combine pumpkin puree, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves in large saucepan over medium heat. Cook mixture, stirring constantly, until reduced to 1 1/2 cup, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove pot from heat; stir in sugar, brown sugar, oil, and cream cheese until combined. Let mixture stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until no visible pieces of cream cheese remain and mixture is homogeneous.
5. Whisk together eggs and buttermilk. Add egg mixture to pumpkin mixture and whisk to combine. Fold flour mixture into pumpkin mixture until combined. Fold walnuts into batter. Scrape batter into prepared pans. Sprinkle topping evenly over top of each loaf. Bake until skewer inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Let breads cool in pans on wire rack for 20 minutes. Remove breads from pans and let cool at least 1.5 hours. Serve warm or at room temperature.