Pumpkin Bread
3 cups sugar 2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup oil 3 1/2 cups flour
4 eggs 1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups canned pumpkin 1 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 cup water 1/2 tsp. ea. ginger and cloves
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
Cream oil & sugar in large bowl. Add eggs one at a time, beating well. Mix in the pumpkin. Mix the soda with the water, then add alternately with the other dry ingredients until the mixture is smooth. Stir in pecans.
Can be baked in one large bundt or plain tube pan or (2) 9×5 loaf pans. Other smaller size pans should be filled only half full. Spray pans with Pam (or other brand of “non-stick” spray)
Bake at 350 degrees. Large pans need about 90 minutes. 9×5 loaf pans take about 60-70 minutes. Smaller pans need a little less time. Just be sure bread is done – should be starting to pull away from sides before you take it out of oven. Cool 15 min. Run knife around the edges, and bread should come right out of pan. Allow to cool completely before you wrap it.
Since this is a moist bread, it spoils rapidly and should be stored in the refrigerator. Serve cold. Or warm a few slices in the oven/microwave. Good when spread with butter, jelly, cream cheese, etc.
- If using fresh pumpkin from your garden – use 2 2/3 cups pumpkin. Eliminate the water. Mix soda with other dry ingredients.
- For a lower calorie bread that’s just as good: substitute 1 cup applesauce for the oil, cut the sugar to two cups.