Butternut Squash Quick Bread
This moist and fragrant butternut squash quick bread recipe from North Tisbury Farm on Martha’s Vineyard is a cozy reminder of the comforts of home baking.
By Yankee Magazine|May 01 2025|
Butternut Squash Quick Bread from North Tisbury Farm, featured in The Martha’s Vineyard Cookbook: 100 Recipes from the Island’s Restaurants, Farmers, Fishermen & Food Artisans by Julia Blanter
Photo Credit: Jocelyn FilleyFragrant with warm spices and tender from garden-grown squash, this butternut squash quick bread recipe is a cozy reminder of the comforts of home baking. It comes from The Martha’s Vineyard Cookbook: 100 Recipes from the Island’s Restaurants, Farmers, Fishermen & Food Artisans by Julia Blanter, a beautifully photographed collection that celebrates the island’s rich culinary landscape through 100 recipes and personal stories. This loaf originates at North Tisbury Farm, where owner Rose Willett bakes it with squash from her nearby Whippoorwill Farm. It’s simple to make, wonderfully moist, and perfect for any time of day—especially with a generous smear of honey-salted butter.
Grab your copy of The Martha’s Vineyard Cookbook: 100 Recipes from the Island’s Restaurants, Farmers, Fishermen & Food Artisans at:
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Edgartown Books
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Ingredients
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted, or 1/2 cup vegetable oil, plus more for pan
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup store-bought or homemade butternut squash purée (see Tip)
2 large eggs
1/4 cup full-fat sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter or oil a 9 by 5–inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugars, cinnamon, cardamom, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. In a separate large bowl, whisk the melted butter, the squash purée, eggs, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet with a silicone spatula until no dry spots remain.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake until the top is golden brown and a tester inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan.
Tip: To make your own squash purée, preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut 1 butternut squash in half lengthwise, remove the seeds with a spoon, and brush the cut sides with olive oil. Roast, cut side down, for about 1 hour, or until very tender (a knife inserted in the flesh should slide through without any resistance). Remove from the oven and, when cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh into a blender and purée until smooth. Set aside 1 cup to go with the wet ingredients. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 1 week (use in muffins or pasta sauce).
