Pumpkin Bread

Remember a couple of years ago when we had a pumpkin shortage?  I remember hearing about it on the news and I dismissed it as alarmist reporting.



And then I had a craving for pumpkin bread.  And I found out that the reports were true when I went to the grocery to get canned pumpkin.  Pumpkin was nowhere to be found.

And I saw some pumpkins rotting in flooded fields and I finally admitted to myself that maybe the news reports had some truth in them.




Last fall, I refused to allow that to happen again.  So I stocked up on cans of pumpkin.  Good thing it lasts a long time, because I still have several cans in the pantry.  And I made my first loaf of pumpkin bread the other day.

It was so moist and flavorful and simply delicious.  Gracious, people.  Make this immediately.

The girls absolutely loved it.  Even though Big Sis called it cornbread.

So go make this before we have another pumpkin shortage.  And put a few cans away for next year, too.  Because fall without pumpkin bread is just...wrong.

And pumpkin bread without butter or cream cheese isn't right, either.

So tomorrow I'll show you how I made this Walnut-Raisin Cream Cheese.

Pumpkin Bread

1/2 cup oil
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
15 oz. can pumpkin puree
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Cream cheese or butter, for serving

Mix the oil and the next 4 ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.  Add the remaining ingredients and mix until just moistened.  Do not overmix the batter.

Pour batter into a large greased loaf pan and bake for 45-55 minutes on 350 degrees.  The bread is done when a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean or with just a few crumbs clinging to it.  Let the bread rest in the pan for 15 minutes before you run a knife around the outsides and remove the loaf.  Finish cooling on a plate or a dishtowel before slicing and serving.