This Cadbury Pumpkin Bread takes even the most delicious of pumpkin breads to a new level with the addition of Caramilk and Crispy Crunch chocolate bars!
I came late to the ‘pumpkin party’ this year. I was in the Azores at Thanksgiving and since I have yet to see a turkey in the Azores we celebrated ‘Oktoberfest’ instead.
So, forgive me if you are ‘pumpkin-ed’ out. I was wanting to have my pumpkin fix and was dreaming of pumpkin pie (my favourite pie is a toss up between pumpkin and peach), pumpkin bread…pretty much pumpkin anything.
I like the idea of rolled oats in my pumpkin bread because it adds a bit of fiber and texture. And I like the idea of a streusel type topping. So I borrowed from a couple of different recipes and then it struck me…
What a great way to use up some leftover Hallowe’en candy!
I am never quite sure what to expect at Hallowe’en. The number of trick or treaters I get varies with the weather, what day of the week Hallowe’en falls on and I don’t know what else. So I prepare for 50 ish or so.
This year I had 10…..which left me with about 50 tiny Cadbury chocolate bars left over. It is never a problem to get rid of them but I have become very aware that Hallowe’en left over candy kicks of a sweet tooth ritual that extends to Christmas and ends with a New Years resolution to stop eating chocolate every day.
It seems no sooner than we finish off the Hallowe’en treats, Costco comes out with all their yummy truffles and Christmas cookies and candies.
So I thought… at least if I put some of the Hallowe’en candy bars in my baking there would be some other ingredients to hopefully slow down the sugar rush that would send me prowling for my next sugar fix.
While this pumpkin bread is still pretty decadent and delicious I am counting it as a bit higher on the nutrition scale than a straight chocolate bar. (I am going to stick with that….)
I chose to crumble Caramilk squares in the cake body and crumbled Crispy Crunch bars over the topping.
This quick bread would be delicious without the addition of candy bars but they do add a certain level of decadence!
When you see the amount of streusel for the topping you may be tempted to reduce it but it does sort of melt down and makes a substantial layer of yumminess!
Either way you choose to make it – enjoy!
Ingredients
Pumpkin Bread
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 6 Tbsps unsalted butter room temperature
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 cups pumpkin purée
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 12 squares Cadbury Caramilk chocolate bar, squares separated (about 1/2 cup or 6 Hallowe'en size bars) optional
Streusel Topping
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter cold
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup Cadbury Crispy Crunch chocolate bars crumbled (about 6 Hallowe'en size bars) optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a large loaf pan (about 8" X 5") with cooking spray.
- Mix dry ingredients (flour through cinnamon) in a bowl.
- In a separate bowl cream butter, about 4 minutes with a mixer. Add brown sugar and mix thoroughly. Beat in the pumpkin and then the eggs and vanilla.
- When evenly incorporated (do not over-mix) add the Caramilk squares and beat another minute or so to break up the squares and evenly distribute them.
- Spoon batter into the loaf pan.
Streusel Topping
- Put all dry topping ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter until you have pea-size pieces of butter.
- Spread streusel evenly over the batter in the loaf pan.
- Bake loaf for about 30 minutes then crumble the Crispy Crunch Bars and sprinkle evenly over the streusel topping.
- Return the loaf to the oven and bake a further 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean. (Check for doneness after 25 minutes.)
Notes
- If not using Crispy Crunch bars on the topping consider adding 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice to the streusel topping.
- If not using chocolate bars you may consider adding 1 cup of a combination of chopped nuts and dried cranberries.