Raspberry Walnut Streusel Pumpkin Bread

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In honor of today's significance, either National Quickbread Day or National Homemade Bread Day (I'll let you choose), the generous people at Driscoll's Berries, whom not only grow my favorite strawberries, additionally supplied with me coupons with the hope and dream I might be able to bake a scrumptious bread using their berries in celebration of this holiday of sorts. Well, wake up my good friends at Driscoll's because the aroma of delicious baked berry bread is wafting through the air. I am totally head-over-heels in love with the smells, tastes, and textures of my Raspberry Walnut Streusel Pumpkin Bread (adapted from Dede Wilson's Blackberry Walnut Streusel Bread recipe). Without further ado, I give you the recipe and tasty pics.

Makes 1 9x5” loaf; apprx. 10 servings.

Spiced Toasted Walnuts:
1 cup lightly toasted walnut halves, finely chopped
¼ tsp nutmeg

¼ tsp cinnamon

1 tblsp brown sugar

Raspberry Walnut Streusel:
1 cup of spiced, toasted walnut pieces
1/3 cup almond flour

2 tblsp all purpose flour
¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 tblsp granulated sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
3 tblsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled1 cup chopped Driscoll’s Raspberries

Pumpkin Bread:

1 cup fresh Driscoll’s Whole Raspberries

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt 9 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick plus 1

tablespoon), at room temperature

½ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp cinnamon

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup Pumpkin Pie Filling

Make the Spiced Toasted Walnuts: place a small pan on low heat. In a food processor add the walnuts, spices, and sugar. Pulse about 5-7 times. Add the mixture directly into the heated pan and toast for 5 minutes stirring occasionally. When you start to smell the walnuts, they are done and remove them from the heat. Set aside.

Make the Streusel: Toss the dry ingredients and toasted walnuts together in a bowl. Add melted butter and stir until combined. Divide mixture in half into two bowls. Chop 1 cup of Driscoll’s Raspberries and toss them with half of the reserved streusel; set aside.

Make the Quick Bread: Arrange oven rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9”x5” loaf pan with nonstick spray; thoroughly coat with flour, removing any excess.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt to aerate and combine; set aside.

Beat the butter with an electric mixer until soft and creamy. Add sugar and brown sugar and beat until combined. Beat in vanilla extract and cinnamon. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry mixture in three additions, alternately with the pumpkin pie filling. Begin and end with the dry mixture and beat briefly until just smooth.

Scrape half of the batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly with a small offset spatula. Top with streusel/chopped raspberry mixture, forming an even layer.

Scrape remaining batter on top, spreading carefully to cover center streusel layer. Top with remaining streusel and place remaining whole raspberries evenly over top, pressing gently to help adhere.

Bake for about 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a bamboo skewer inserted in the center shows a few moist crumbs when removed. Cool pan on wire rack for 15 minutes, then unmold directly onto rack, right side up, to cool completely.