Pumpkin Bread with Honey Butter

Ok, I admit it. I've been on a Pumpkin Frenzy lately. First it was Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Seed Granola Parfaits, then it was Pumpkin Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate and Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting, and now whether your like it or not its going to be Pumpkin Bread with Honey Butter. But believe me-you're going to like it. The Pumpkin Bread is chock full of all the spicy, warm flavors of autumn that you love: cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice. And the Honey Butter adds the perfect counterpart of sweet and creamy; plus it tastes like something served at a fancy cafe but is ridiculously easy to make.

When making this recipe I had one of those Domestic Goddess moments. Most of the time when cooking, I feel like our little kitchen is overcrowded with dishes, or I have flour smudged somewhere on my face or outfit, or I'm constantly checking on a million different components trying to get dinner on the table pronto.  But not this Pumpkin Bread. I made it at night right before my boyfriend was getting home from work and as soon as he walked in he was welcomed with the homey, fall aroma of freshly baking pumpkin bread and I was just finishing up washing the couple of bowls I used. Then in the morning I woke up just 10 minutes before him, whipped up the 4 ingredient Honey Butter, brewed some Kona coffee, sliced up the bread....and became girlfriend of the year.

Who doesn't want to have a girlfriend of the year/ domestic goddess moment? Or better question...who doesn't want to wake up to freshly baked warm pumpkin spice bread slathered in sweet but salty honey butter? I promise this will be my last pumpkin recipe for a while and I also promise that this is one you won't want to miss out on!

Pumpkin Bread

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
8 ounces (scant 1 cup) canned unsweetened pumpkin puree
2 large eggs
2/3 cup water
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of a loaf pan.

Whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a small bowl.

In a large bowl, beat the 4 tablespoons softened butter, sugar, and oil at high speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl a few times.

Add the pumpkin puree and mix until combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until just incorporated. At low speed, slowly add the flour mixture and water and mix until just combined. Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 50 to 65 minutes. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before trying to remove from pan. Serve warm with Honey Butter.

Honey Butter
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of salt

Beat butter in a small mixing bowl until it becomes fluffy. Add honey, cinnamon, and salt and beat until well mixed, fluffy, and spreadable.