Spiced Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin reigns supreme in our home during the holiday season—pumpkin bread, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin pie, pumpkin cake, pumpkin soup, you name it. This pumpkin bread, a favorite from Bon Appétit, is easy to whip up during the busy season. The top crust is slightly crispy and the middle is moist and tender. The first time I made it, my family polished off an entire loaf in one evening.

The recipe makes two loaves, so you have one to eat and one to give away. The loaves also freeze well, just wrap in plastic wrap and store in a gallon freezer bag.

[Updated November 1, 2012.]

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SPICED PUMPKIN BREAD

Adapted from Bon Appétit, November 1995.

Makes 2 loaves.

Equipment

stand mixer with paddle attachment
medium bowl
2 (9x5x3-inch) loaf pans, greased and floured

Ingredients

3 cups (525 g) granulated sugar
1 cup (240 ml) sunflower oil
3 large eggs
1 (15-ounce/425 g) can solid pack pumpkin
3 cups (420 g) unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup (75 g) coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°F/175° C.

2. In the stand mixer bowl, beat the sugar and oil. Add the eggs and pumpkin and mix on low until thoroughly combined.

3. In the other bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Toss the walnuts with the flour mixture, and then fold the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture. Stir just until the dry ingredients are combined.

3. Pour batter into the prepared pans and bake until a tester comes out clean, about 70 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to sit in the pans for about 10 minutes. Run a plastic knife around the edges of the bread to release it from the pan, and turn the loaves out onto a wire rack. Allow to cool completely. Keep loaves in the refrigerator.

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