Pumpkin Pull-apart Cinnabread

I am so excited to share this recipe with you! It is soooo incredibly delicious - my husband said it's his new favorite food! LOL! This was the first of my Fall pumpkin recipes to try this year and it is definately going down into my personal book of favs.

Let me warn you though- it's not a quick or easy recipe. If you follow the directions, you will be able to make it, but if you've never made a yeasted dough before, it might be a little challenging for you. If you decide to attempt this one, you won't regret it- down to the last soft, sweet, sticky, gooey bite!

Pumpkin Pull-apart Cinnabread with a buttered rum drizzle

First- melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the microwave along with 1/2 cup of milk. Place a food grade thermometer in the bowl of warm liquids and wait until it cools to about 110 degrees. Once it's there, add a packet of yeast (or 2 1/4 teaspoons) and 1/4 cup of sugar, stir it well with a metal fork and let it sit for 5-8 minutes until it proofs. The word "proof" refers to the process of making sure your active dry yeast is still alive and will act as a good leavening agent. If it is, you will see your mixture grow to create a creamy foam on the surface of the liquid.

Next- add 1 cup flour, 3/4 cup canned pumpkin,  1/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and mix to combine. Add the rest of the flour (1 1/2 cups), 1/2 cup at a time until the dough comes together. Knead the dough for 8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Place this in a warm place for about an hour- by that time it should double in size.

Once it has risen, punch it down and knead it again for about 2 minutes, using a few tablespoons of flour and then let it rest, covered with a towel for about 5 minutes. 

At this time, make your filling. Combine 1 cup of sugar, 2 teaspoons of cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg and set aside. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and set this aside also.

Now you can go back to your dough and roll it out into a large rectangle- about 12x20 inches. Brush the entire surface of the dough with the butter and then cover it evenly with the spiced cinnamon sugar mixture. 

Now, cut your dough rectangle into 6 even strips. Luckily, perfection is not necessary here. 

Then, stack all 6 dough strips on top of each other and then cut this into 6 even-ish pieces.

Pack these dough pieces into a greased bread loaf pan (I suggest brushing the pan with Cake Release to ensure it comes out perfectly). I alternated the pieces like this. Cover it again with the damp towel and let it rise for another 45 minutes in a warm place.

Once it has risen, place it in a preheated oven (350 degrees for a metal pan, 325 for a glass pan) and bake for 30-35 minutes. Mine continued to grow beyond the top of the pan as it baked, and some of that lovely, sweet goodness dripped out onto the bottom of my oven making a burned mess. So, I recommend that you place a piece of foil on the bottom of your oven to prevent this from happening to you. Once it is golden brown on top, remove from the oven and let it cool for 30-40 minutes before removing from the pan. I turned out the whole loaf onto my hand and placed it on a place for serving. 

While it's cooling, make your buttered rum topping. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter, 1/8 cup of brown sugar and 2 tablespoons of milk in a small saucepan until combined. Add to this 1 tablespoon of rum or rum extract (I used real rum) and stir this into 1/2 cup of powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Add  more milk if it's too thick (only a splash at a time) and then drizzle it over your bread once you have removed it from the pan.

To serve, pull a few pieces from the loaf and enjoy. It is best when served warm.

Pumpkin Pull-Apart Bread Ingredients:

1/2 cup milk

3/4 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 cup white sugar

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon salt

2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry yeast

2 1/2 cups bread flour

Filling Ingredients:

1 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Butter Rum Glaze Ingredients:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/8 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons milk

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon rum (the original recipe called for extract, which I found too strong)