Sunday, November 16, 2008

Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread

Recipe from allrecipes.com

I made some of this bread last night to take to Bible Study this evening, and it is fantastic! The directions say that it gets better over time, so try to make it a day ahead if you can.


Ingredients:
1 (15 ounce) can pumkin puree
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
3 cups white sugar
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour three 7x3 inch loaf pans.

In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into prepared pans.

Bake for about 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Modifications:
I used 1 cup brown sugar and 2 cups white sugar. Many of the reviewers on allrecipes.com reduced the sugar and/or substituted 1/2 cup apple sauce for half of the oil. The texture was absolutely perfect as I made it, so I would not be inclined to modify the wet ingredients, although I did look at the amount of oil and cringe! Other possible modifications are adding nuts or dried cranberries.

This really is an amazingly moist and flavorful bread, perfect for a special treat or to share with friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, or anybody else who likes autumn goodies.