Pumpkin Bread
Pumpkin bread has a delicious history in North America that dates back to colonial times. Native Americans and European settlers each brought some of their ingredients and ways of cultivating pumpkins together to collaborate on a pumpkin bread recipe that included cornmeal and spices. Over the course of the 20th century, pumpkin bread recipes advanced to have less of a bread texture and more of a cake-like crumb.
Ingredient
- 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
- 1 2/3 cups sugar
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 4 eggs
- 3 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose or whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts
- 1/2 cup raisins, if desired
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Direction
- Move oven rack to low position so that tops of pans will be in center of oven. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottoms only of 2 loaf pans, 8-1/2 x 4-1/2 x 2-1/2 inches, or 1 loaf pan 9x5x3 inches, with shortening.
- Stir together pumpkin, sugar, oil, vanilla and eggs in large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients. Pour into pans.
- Bake 8-inch loaves 50 to 60 minutes, 9-inch loaf 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Loosen sides of loaves from pans; remove from pans and place top side up on wire rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours, before slicing. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 10 days.
