Pumpkin Bread
Recipes for pumpkin bread are easy to find, but this is one of the best I've ever tasted. Moist, but not falling apart. Sweet, but not too sweet, and redolent with spices. Also freezes very well.
- 3-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1-1/4 cups brown sugar, packed
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon dried orange peel (or 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest)
- 2 cups puréed pumpkin (fresh or one 15-ounce can)
- 1 cup canola oil
- 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 1 cup chopped, toasted pecans (see Note, below)
- In a large bowl, stir together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and orange peel.
- In a second bowl, combine pumpkin, canola oil, eggs and molasses.
- Make a well in center of the dry ingredients. Add the pumpkin mixture and stir just until mixture is combined and dry ingredients are incorporated. Stir in pecans.
- For bread, divide the batter between two greased and floured 9x5-inch loaf pans. Bake at 350°F for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out on wire racks. Makes 2 loaves.
Notes
For the glaze: In a bowl, combine one cup of confectioner's sugar with one to two tablespoons of water and ¼ teaspoon of vanilla. Mix and let stand for several minutes. Drizzle onto bread. Adjust the amount of water to how thick you want the icing.
Lightly toasting the pecans will make a big flavor difference. To toast whole pecans, spread them out on a baking sheet and toast at 350°F for 4 or 5 minutes, or until you begin to smell them. Pecan pieces or chopped pecans will take less time to toast.
This recipe can be varied by adding 1/2 to 1 cup of raisins, chopped dates, prunes or dried cherries. Honey can be substituted for the molasses. This recipe appeared in the article Puns and Pumpkins.
Ready in: 1 Hr 30 Min