I have a shed in my backyard. It’s a good shed. I don’t have any basis of comparison on this point, but I feel this to be true. The shed holds all of our garden supplies, a neglected lawn mower, and approximately 1,000 cans of partially used paint.
However, I don’t want this shed. What I want is a writer’s cottage. For several years now, I’ve been asking Kirk to help me transform the place. His response is always the same. He tells me something about our limited space and the supplies that need to be put somewhere. I remain unconvinced. The garage can house these supplies. He then points out the garage is full of skis, bikes, baby things, and the general overflowing aftermath of two previously independent lives squeezed into one small house. The garage cannot house these supplies.
He might be right. On the other hand, he might be wrong. We’ve certainly never tried to pack the garage yet fuller. Its capacity could be far greater than we know. And, to be perfectly honest, I’d be willing to allow the lawn to develop into a fine meadow along with all the other plants for that coveted place in the backyard. Or, I’d even be willing to share my cottage with several of these objects just for a small spot of peace in this world. It would be a quiet place I could use during the evening hours with no baby monitors or internet access. I would finish the book proposal I started last year. I would write to all of you more often. I am certain I would finish so many things.
But that is not in the cards. Well, at least it’s not in the deck of cards with which I’m currently dealing.
So here I am surrounded by cookbooks in a perfectly reasonable kitchen on a perfectly stormy day. It’s not a bad place, really. I like my kitchen a great deal. From my perch today, I have a dramatic view of the first hints of autumn. The wind is blowing bits of rain sideways and the oilcloth I placed on the wooden picnic table outside on that gorgeous early summer day is whipping around wildly threatening to break lose.
Inside here in the kitchen, it’s relatively quiet at this moment. The little red fox is asleep. K isn’t here. He’s off, as he usually is on weekends, photographing a bride who is likely horribly disappointed that the first storm of the season came to be on her wedding day. I certainly hope she can cast those feelings aside and bask in the beauty of new marriage. Maybe she can even appreciate the dark stormy skies and the fabulously interesting photos that come about on rare days like this one.
As far as I’m concerned, there is really only one thing to do on a day such as this when you are stuck inside without access to a writer’s retreat.
Bake.
Fill the house with the scent of autumn.
What scent?
Pumpkin, of course.
Pumpkin makes amazingly aromatic, and deliciously moist breads. These are quick breads. The kind you can whip up in a moment’s notice. These are the kind of breads you can usually make without a trip to the store. And, most importantly, these breads can make a stormy day a whole lot brighter. In fact, I try to keep cans of pumpkin around in the pantry all year long for those surprise guests and surprise storms. This pumpkin bread, which I made some time ago, is phenomenal. I will continue to make it. Today’s pumpkin bread is also delicious, but it’s a bit different. The tart chunks of Granny Smith apples give it a great little burst of sour in each rich bite. A good dollop of butter and sugar baked into the top gives those same pints a rich sugary finish. All in all, the combination is a sure fire way to win hearts and bellies.
Happy autumn to all of you. What are your plans this week? If you are working steadily in your sweet writer’s retreat, I bid you lots of productivity and peace. If not, and you find yourself in a kitchen floating high above stormy waters, I urge you to bake this pumpkin bread.
Pumpkin Apple Bread
For topping:
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
4 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
For bread:
3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 & 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 (15 oz.) can solid pack organic pumpkin
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 & 1/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped (about 2 cups)
For the topping, blend together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and butter in a small bowl with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
For the bread, put a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter 2 9 x5 loaf pans.
Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a medium bowl. Whisk together pumpkin, oil, sugar, and eggs in a large bowl. Add flour mixture, stirring until well combined. Fold in apples.
Divide batter between buttered loaf pans. Sprinkle half of the topping evenly over each loaf. Bake until a wooden pick or skewever inserte in the dcenter of the bread comes out clean, 50-60 minutes.
Cool loaves in pans on a rack for 45 minutes, then turn out onto the rack and cool completely, about 1 hour.
Recipe adapted from Gourmet.
Okay, when I get back next week I am making this bread! Also, I feel strongly that you should get your writers corner. Maybe my hubs can help, he’s an architect. I bet with some built in shelves to house the stuff a nook could be carved for you. We so know where you’re coming from (tiny house, baby, two studios, two dogs, etc.
Thanks for your support, Elisa. Yes! Let’s discuss upon your return! xoxox
That pumpkin apple bread looks amazing! I’d love a slice now….
Cheers,
Rosa
I hope you get your writers corner but I can’t say I’m disappointed you didn’t have it and instead decided to bake
A writer’s corner…sigh. My equivalent is my basement corner where I’ve strung up some Christmas lights, set up a work space and have a soft rug at my feet. True, it’s pretty cold down there, but having a tiny little place to myself is nice. I am loving the approach of Autumn this year – this bread will be made tonight.
Wow! That bread looks great – thanks for sharing!!
Don’t give up hope on your cottage dream! Its time will come
I also dream of a retreat that would be quiet and clean, with no piles of bills and a place for all my cooking magazines. Until then, I’ll have to make due with the guest bedroom/office/junk room and a nice warm slice of this bread.
I often think that kitchens should be the biggest area of the house. But that’s unfair to the family, in a sense… Your pumpkin apple bread looks rustic and yummy… Just right to warm up the storm! stay in and snuggle…
This pumpkin bread looks fantastic! I’ll definitely have to give this recipe a try.
I hope you get your writer’s cottage soon!
I love these photos (the linens in that first shot!) and this pumpkin bread, with apples! (How very Washington State of you). And you ask about plans, well, my plans will include buying canned pumpkin…
Thanks, Sara.
The linen towel is the first shot is one of my favorites as well. It’s from Heath Ceramics. http://www.heathceramics.com/go/heath/homeware/store/index.cfm?catID=68
I love their stuff!
xo
Robin
Yum! This looks great. Thanks for sharing.
Yum! This sounds amazing. I love both apple and pumpkin breads, and the idea of combining them has me swooning. Lovely photos, as always.
I love this bread, all those spices make it sound so delicious! It looks perfect too!
xx
I love absolutely every part of this post… except for the fact that you have no writer’s hideout! And I am so happy to have found your blog. What a beautiful place to visit.
Anna,
Thank you for the sweet sweet comment! I look forward to chatting with you here again soon.
xo
Robin
I’m so ready to bake pumpkin bread but I’m afraid with our still 100 degree temps I’m not really up to it. At least I get to enjoy your lovely loaf vicariously. I know you’re probably not ready for summer to be over yet but I am so looking forward to some fall/winterish temps on our trip to your lovely city.
Shelley,
You know what? I love autumn! I’m actually excited to introduce Maeve to this season. It’s the last season for her to experience. In other words, it’s her last “first” season and that really excites me. Hooray for visits to the pumpkin patch! And, of course, hooray for your fun journey to the Northwest!
xo
Robin
Oh, this looks unbelievably delicious. I just tried to say to my husband that it “looked” so good and I accidentally said “smelled” so good. That’s exactly the thing with this! I can smell it! Mmmm, thanks for this recipe, I will surely be making it. I can’t wait to see what lovely recipes you post this fall!
Looks delicious. I make a yummy pumpkin bread with chocolate chips in it, and I’ve seen a great-looking recipe for a pumpkin bread with a cream cheese swirl inside- definitely on my to-make list.
Mindy,
You are a temptress. That sounds delicious! It’s always so lovely to hear from you
xoxoxoxo
Robin
Lovely looking bread…I can smell it from here
We just weathered a typhoon and another one is coming hot on its heel so I know what you mean! So nice to bake and cook in this weather 
I hope that bride does see the unique photographic opportunities bad weather can bring…I was married during a typhoon as well, and although the rain stopped by the time the ceremony took place, the sky looked like a pastel painting with all muted hues
Hope you get your quiet spot. How about gradually getting rid of extras-if you can. I know it is hard, but makes so much room. We live in 1400 sqft, so I continuously purge. It is hard to find room with all the music instruments my husband has and all the books we both have. It is fun and frustrating at the same time trying to carve out some room
The pumpkin apple loaf looks delicious… as all your food always does! Now on to more pressing matters, your writers cottage…I’m calling it a cottage, sounds quaint and quite pretty right? Kirk can for sure build this for you… my husband also puts up a million excuses about space, to much stuff…blah blah blah! If Kirk won’t do it, then you must take matters into your own hands and hire a handyman to just come and promptly put up your new writing cottage..
xoxo
Your post totally makes me want to run to the kitchen and bake bread! xo
I love the sound of this (and I’ll bet it smelled great while baking too). I love autumn and these past few sunny days have been gorgeous. Indian summer and pumpkin and apple bread sounds like a match made in heaven.
“Fill the house with the scent of Autumn”. Yes, please. You have all the usual characters in this Fall-time bread, and I imagine their company has been wonderful.
*Heather*
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Hi! I just had to tell you. Last weekend my husband and I went to our local orchard for some apple-picking, and I tucked two perfect apples into this bread recipe.
Oh. My. Goodness.
This bread is fabulous. I only had bread flour on hand, and I had a baggie of chopped hazelnuts that I tossed in, too and it was so good. The crumb topping is so yummy, and the color of this bread is half of what makes it so darn appetizing. I have visions of making loaves of this as a christmas dessert and serving slices of it ala mode!
Thank you for sharing this. I have a feeling this is going to become an annual fall baked item in our house.
Hi Connie,
Thank you so much for your comment and kind words. I’m thrilled you enjoyed the bread. The hazelnuts are a brilliant idea. Thank you!
xo
Robin
I’m really excited to make this with my apple picking apples! For some reason, I really want to shred the apples instead. If I do that, will I need to change anything else in the recipe? Thank you!
Rupi,
Shredding the apples is a great time- saving idea. I think it will be perfect and there’s no need for further adjustments. Let me know how it goes! xo Robin
Hello-
I made this last night and LOVE it! It really is so moist and the topping is a great addition to it. Shredding the apples worked perfectly. I made a few small changes- used a bit less of all of the spices, cut out 1/2 cup of sugar and added toasted pecans. I already can’t wait to make it again. I’ve just discovered your blog, it’s beautiful!
[...] first is a pumpkin apple bread. It just looks and sounds amazing. You can find it here at A Chow Life! I love bloggers like this. One day I’d like to be a blogger that says something people care [...]
Mmm what a divine combination of fall flavors! I’ve never tried apple bread before
What an excellent recipe! I made my few high altitude adjustments, used apples leftover from our caramel apple/ pumpkin carving night, and it came out perfect! What a wonderful bread for a snowy Denver day! Thanks!!