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Cantaloupe Bread with Praline Glaze

This excellent cantaloupe bread with parline glaze is very moist and has the texture of pumpkin or zucchini bread. You can purée and freeze extra cantaloupe to use in bread-making during the off-season.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 20 people
Calories 7380.2 kcal

Equipment

  • 2 Loaf Pans 9x5-inch
  • 1 Electric Mixer Or stand mixer with paddle attachment
  • 1 Large Mixing Bowl
  • 1 Whisk
  • 1 Microwave-Safe Bowl

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 2 cups white sugar
  • 2 cups cantaloupe peeled, seeded and pureed
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¾ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 ⅔ cups brown sugar
  • ½ cup butter
  • ½ cup chopped pecans

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Lightly grease and flour two 9x5-inch loaf pans.
  • Beat sugar, puréed cantaloupe, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl with an electric mixer until well combined. Whisk flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and ginger together in a separate bowl. Stir flour mixture into cantaloupe mixture until combined. Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the centers of loaves comes out clean, about 1 hour.
  • Meanwhile, make praline glaze: Combine brown sugar and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Cook on High in the microwave for about 3 minutes, stirring every minute, until smooth.
  • Pour sauce over warm loaves. Cool for 1 hour before serving.

Notes

Ensure your cantaloupe is perfectly ripe for the best flavor and moisture; under-ripe fruit will lack sweetness. When puréeing, aim for a very smooth consistency without fibrous chunks. Be mindful not to overmix the batter once the dry ingredients are added; overmixing develops gluten and can lead to a tough, dense bread. For an enhanced texture, consider folding a portion of the chopped pecans into the bread batter itself before baking, in addition to using them in the glaze. For the praline glaze, precise microwave timing is key to prevent burning; alternatively, a small saucepan on the stovetop over low heat offers more control for a consistently smooth glaze. Serve slightly warm for the best experience.