Super Good Pumpkin Bread

September 24, 2014

Super Good Pumpkin Bread

Moist Pumpkin Bread uses canned or thick home cooked pumpkin.

It's that time of the year again. Pumpkins, squash, apples and root vegetables. Fall is not my favourite time of the year. It foreshadows winter and I dislike (hate) winter weather. You can have your pretty coloured leaves and crisp fall days, I'd rather have summer. We have such a short summer, with an almost non-existent spring, it almost makes me cry to think our warm weather is gone. Oh, well, for all that, autumn does have it's good points and pumpkin is one of them.

I thought I'd dig out one of my favourite Pumpkin Bread recipes, to start with, and continue on with a few more pumpkin recipes before Thanksgiving overtakes us.

This is a super tasting recipe for Pumpkin Bread. I know, because that's what I wrote above the recipe when I first made it many years ago. The recipe comes from the 1975 edition of the Betty Crocker's Cookbook and the original recipe calls for shortening but I've adapted the recipe to use oil. You'll notice, if you look at the picture to the right, that I've also cut the ingredients in half to make one loaf instead of two.

If using home cooked pumpkin make sure it is nice and thick. But don't despair if you have no pumpkin on hand. This spicy, sweet bread can be made substituting well mashed sweet potato or even pureed carrots for the pumpkin. You'll not notice much of a difference whatever you use.

Not everyone likes nuts or raisins in their bread so these are optional. I like nuts in this bread but don't like the raisins. Funny, because I usually like raisins in just about anything. I made two loaves today--one with nuts and one without. That should please just about everyone and if you have kiddies who cannot take nuts or nut products to school the nutless loaf makes a great lunch box treat.

Printable recipe at end of post.

Pumpkin Bread

⅓ cup oil
1⅓ cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup cooked pumpkin puree (thick home cooked or canned)
⅓ cup water
1⅔ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon cloves
⅓ cup coarsely chopped nuts (optional)
⅓ cup raisins (optional)

How to make it:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and line one 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Or use an 8x4x2-inch loaf pan and make 2 or 3 muffins to eat immediately.

In large bowl, mix oil and sugar until well combined. Beat in eggs, pumpkin and water. Mix in flour, soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and cloves, combining well. Stir in nuts and raisins, if using.

Pour into prepared pan. Bake about 70 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in pan before removing. When completely cool, wrap in plastic wrap and store overnight before slicing. If you made a few muffins, they can be eaten as soon as they are cool enough to eat without burning your tongue.

Makes 1 loaf or 12-16 slices.

Mix oil and sugar together and beat in eggs, pumpkin and water. Blend in the dry ingredients, mixing well. Stir in the nuts or raisins if using. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.