I picked a few pawpaws this year. In addition to eating a couple plain, I made some ice cream. I also made a small batch of pawpaw bread. I used an easy-to-make banana quick-bread recipe that I often use, but replaced the creamed banana with creamed pawpaw. The result is a cake-like bread:

This basic pawpaw bread is good, but I was disappointed at how little of the pawpaw flavor came through. I’ll try again next year with pawpaws that haven’t been sitting puréed in the fridge for several days, and will also add a few spices.

Pawpaw Bread Recipe

Ingredients
1 cup pawpaw purée
1/4 cup whole milk
2 eggs
1/3 cup oil
3/4 cup sugar
2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder

Instructions

  • Peal and remove seeds from two or three pawpaws.
  • Cream pawpaw meat along with oil, sugar, eggs, and milk.
  • Add dry ingredients and mix until just moistened.
  • Put batter in two oiled 3 x 5.75 inch pans.
  • Bake for 40 minutes at 350°F

Suggested changes to this recipe

  • I used table sugar instead of honey because I was out of honey. I prefer to use 1/2 or less cups of honey in my banana, apple, or pumpkin bread. This pawpaw bread tasted like it would be better with honey.
  • Add some spices. Banana and apple breads don’t need any spices, but this tasted like it needed something. If I find pawpaws next year, I’ll try again with a 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoons of cinnamon.