Pumpkin Bread

It may not feel like the holidays at 75 degrees today but our house smells like the holidays after baking this pumpkin bread and oh, can it put you in a festive mood!  We enjoyed this beautiful day with a picnic at Klyde Warren park.  What a new treasure in Dallas!  It was packed with people and things to do: a kids’ playground, fields for throwing the football or Frisbee or kicking the soccer ball, tables and chairs for eating, food trucks, a dog park, a reading and game room, a putting green, foosball, and ping pong tables…

Our picnic ended on a high note with slices of this pumpkin bread.  A few hesitant taste testers quickly turned into big fans.  This recipe is courtesy of Julie L. and is one of her family’s favorites (soon to be one of ours too - the kids are asking for it in their lunchbox and for breakfast and as dessert after dinner...)!  It is super moist and makes multiple loafs which is perfect for sharing.  Isn’t that what the holidays are about – baking, eating and sharing?  Ho ho ho!

Ingredients:

Pumpkin Bread

1.      1 cup margarine or butter, softened

2.      3 cups sugar

3.      3 eggs

4.      1 tsp. vanilla

5.      3 cups sifted flour

6.      1 1/2 tsp salt

7.      1 tsp baking soda

8.      1 tsp baking powder

9.      1 tsp cinnamon

10.  1/2 tsp nutmeg

11.  1 tsp clove powder

12.  1 tsp allspice

13.  1 – 1 lb. can of pumpkin (look for “pumpkin”, not “pumpkin pie filling”)

Cream margarine or butter together with the sugar.  Gradually beat in eggs and vanilla. 

Sift all dried ingredients (#5-12) together.  Add the dry ingredients to the mixture by gradually alternating each addition with the pumpkin.

Transfer mixture to 3 greased 8 x 5 pans (I had 9x5 loaf pans so used 2 of those plus 2 mini-loafs).  For the larger loafs, bake in an oven at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  For the mini-loafs, bake at 325 for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Enjoy!