Pull Apart Pumpkin Bread with Rum Glaze

This is the second time I have made the Pull Apart Pumpkin Bread with Rum Glaze, and I am a huge fan! I think I am going to have to stop waiting for Fall for Pumpkin recipes, because they’re just so darn good! On the other hand, maybe it is a good thing I wait for Fall – for the sake of my waistline! Last week when I had a few young women over from church, to help me bake the Spiral Apple Dumplings, I pre-made the Pumpkin Bread so we could all eat a treat while we baked. I actually had my facebook fans vote on the project for the night and the Pull Apart Pumpkin Bread won, hands down!

I think the bread was a big hit. I personally LOVE the Rum Glaze, but if you don’t like a strong flavor, you can reduce the amount of rum extract you put into the glaze.

Prep time: 100 mins

Cook time: 37 mins

Total time: 2 hours 17 mins

Serves: 6

Ingredients

2 Tbs unsalted butter
½ cup milk, room temperature
2¼ tsp (1 envelope) active dry yeast
¾ cup pumpkin puree
¼ cup white sugar
1 tsp salt
2½ cups bread flour
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp fresh ground nutmeg
2 Tbs unsalted butter
2 Tbs unsalted butter
½ cup milk, room temperature
2¼ tsp (1 envelope) active dry yeast
¾ cup pumpkin puree
¼ cup white sugar
1 tsp salt
2½ cups bread flour
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp fresh ground nutmeg
2 Tbs unsalted butter
2 Tbs unsalted butter
⅛ cup brown sugar
1½ Tbsp milk
¾ cup powdered sugar
1 Tbs rum *

Instructions

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, brown 2 tablespoons of butter, letting it bubble up and turn a dark golden brown. Be careful not to burn (turn black), otherwise you should start over.
Once butter is browned, remove the pan from the heat and carefully add the milk. Return to stove and heat through.
Pour the milk and butter into the bowl of standing mixer (fitted with a dough hook) and allow to cool so it is no longer hot, but also not cool (about 100-110 degrees F).
Once milk has reached a warm, but not hot temperature, add the yeast and ¼ cup of sugar and allow to proof. You will know it is proofing if the top is foamy and the liquid is cloudy, (this can take up to 8 minutes). Then add the the pumpkin, salt, and 1 cup of flour. Stir until combined then add the rest of the flour ½ cup at a time.
Knead dough for 6 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic and just slightly sticky. If the dough is too moist, add extra flour 1 tablespoon at a time.
Move dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a clean towel. Allow to rise in a warm place for 60-90 minutes or until doubled in size.
While dough is rising, brown another 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg and mix well, until the sugars absorb the butter evenly. Set aside.
Next, grease and flour a 9×5 loaf pan and set aside. I often skip the flour and it turns out just fine.
When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and flip out onto a clean floured surface and knead with hands for 1-2 minutes. Roll dough into a 20×12 inch rectangle.
Evenly sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the rolled out dough, and press into dough with palms of the hand.
Cut the rectangle into 6 strips. Lay strips on top of each other and cut each strip into 6 even squares (cut in half then each half into thirds). Stack strips vertically into the loaf pan. Cover the pan with a clean towel and let rise for 30-45 minutes.
In the meantime, preheat oven to 350°. After rising in the pan bake for 30-40 minutes (mine took 37 exactly), or until top is a very deep golden brown.
Heat the butter, milk, and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to boil, then immediately remove the pan from the heat and stir in the rum and powdered sugar.
After bread has cooled slightly, turn out onto serving dish, large enough to hold the entire loaf.
Drizzle glaze over warm bread and serve.

Notes

*The original recipe calls for just a ¼ tsp of rum, but I really enjoy the rum taste in the glaze so I add a full tablespoon. If you want a more mild flavor, you can sub a teaspoon of vanilla extract, and add just ¼ tsp rum.

Lay cut squares standing up in a loaf pan. They don’t have to fit perfectly side by side – just get them all in there, even if you kind of stagger them.