Oatmeal Pumpkin Bread with Apple Cider Sauce

Preheat oven to 350°F and adjust the oven rack to the middle position.

Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with nonstick baking spray. Place the pan in the middle of a baking sheet.

For the Topping

Mix together the brown sugar, pecans and apple pie spice in a small bowl; set aside.

For the Bread

Whisk

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, pumpkin, oil, and buttermilk together until smooth and blended.

Combine

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, pie spice, nutmeg and ground ginger together.

Add oats and stir to incorporate.

Stir

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Use a large rubber spatula to stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Try NOT to over-mix the ingredients.

Fold

Gently fold in the crystallized ginger.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and sprinkle the topping mixture on top. Press the topping mixture lightly into the batter so it sticks.

Bake

Set the loaf pan (with the baking sheet) in the oven and bake at 350°F for 60-75 minutes, or until the bread has browned and a very thin knife inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean (or almost clean). The internal temperature should register (on an instant-read thermometer) between 200°F-205°F in the middle of the loaf. If the top of the bread is darkening too quickly after 30 minutes, tent with foil for the remainder of the bake. (Don’t cover the bread tightly, just tent the foil over the top.)

Cool

Transfer the loaf to a cooling rack and cool 10 minutes. Run a thin, sharp knife around the sides of the pan before removing from the pan. After unmolding, turn the bread upright and cool to room temperature. The bread can be cut warm, but use a very sharp knife or even a serrated knife and cut it carefully.

Drizzle

The bread is extra delicious when drizzled with Warm Cider Ginger Sauce.