Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients

• 16 oz pumpkin puree (see below for how to make your own, or use canned puree, not pumpkin pie mix)
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 stick butter, melted, then cooled to room temp (ice bath for 5 min)
  
  
• 3 1/2 cups AP flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 1/2 tsp allspice

Preparation

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  
  
• Grease and flour three 8"x3.5" loaf pans (this is approx the size of the disposable tins you can get at the store)
  
  
• Mix the wet ingredients together in a large bowl (pumpkin, white sugar, brown sugar, eggs, oil, butter, water)
  
  
• Sift dry ingredients together in a separate bowl (flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice)
  
  
• Mix dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
  
  
• Optionally, mix in chopped nuts, raisins, dried cranberries, or whatever else you'd want to mix into the bread.
  
  
• Pour evenly into the pans
  
  
• Optionally, sprinkle top with crushed nuts
  
  
• Bake for 50 minutes in oven. They're done when a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
  
  

Pumpkin Puree

To make fresh pumpkin puree from a pumpkin, follow these simple steps.

• Make sure you buy a "pie pumpkin" (sometimes called a "sugar pumpkin"). They are much smaller than carving pumpkins.
  
  
• Wash outside in warm water to remove any dirt (do not use soap).
  
  
• Cut the pumpkin in half. This is pretty difficult, so be careful!
  
  
• Scooop out all the seeds and stringy guts -- make sure you get it all out. (Save the seeds for roasting, yum!)
  
  
• Take a big pot, put an inch of water in the bottom, then put a steamer basket in, put the pumpkin pieces in (if you have to, cut into quarters to fit in pan), and steam on stovetop for 20-30 minutes. After 15 minutes, check to see if fork tender. If not, keep checking every 5 min or so until pumpkin is fork tender, and flesh can easily be separated from the rind.
  
  
• Scoop flesh out with a spoon into a bowl.
  
  
• Puree with hand blender or food processor until silky smooth.
  
  
• Voila, done!
  
  
• One pie pumpkin should yield between 12-16 oz of pumpkin puree, depending on the size of the pumpkin.