Pumpkin Spice Bread

I figured with Halloween having come & gone and with Thanksgiving knocking on the door, it was finally time for me to dive into a can of pumpkin! To me, no flavor says fall like pumpkin. It's rich, smooth, full of warm flavors & just invites the crisp, cool, fresh air to blow around outside. I love pumpkin - pumpkin pie, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, cream cheese pumpkin bars, pumpkin muffins & this pumpkin spice bread. There are so many wonderful ways to use pumpkin in your baking - and all of them put a smile [and a few extra pounds] on my tummy!

Your line up:

Canned pumpkin (NOT pie!), eggs, veg/canola oil, applesauce, sugar, flour, vanilla, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, pecans or walnuts (optional, not pictured).

Start out by mixing the pumpkin, eggs, oil, applesauce, sugar and vanilla in your mixer.


Now add in all your dry ingredients, except for the nuts.


Now chop up your nuts, if you're gonna use them. I'd planned on putting walnuts in this time but I checked my cupboard d& freezer & only had almonds & pecans - so pecans it was! And I really liked it so I'm glad the walnuts were gone! Toss them in the mix & give it a whirl.


Pour the batter into two prepped 9x5 loaf pans.


You ready to fill your house with the amazing smell of spiced pumpkin bread!!?? Pop these into the oven at 350 for about 65 minutes. With about 20-25 minutes left tent the edges in foil to keep them from burning before the rest of the bread is done.


Then pull it out & let it cool on a rack. Slice & enjoy! If you don't think you can manage both loaves before it would dry out wrap it in foil, stick it in a ziplock bag & freeze the second loaf. They thaw out nicely on the counter top.


Mmmmm. This bread is a little heavy on the spices but that's why it's so delicious! The ginger, the nutmeg, the cloves & the cinnamon - it all just blends together and compliments the pumpkin to create a wonderful, warm, flavor of autumn! Enjoy!

Pumpkin Spice Bread:

1 15-oz can of pumpkin
4 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup applesauce
2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 350. Grease/flour 2 loaf pans.

In a large bowl mix together pumpkin, eggs, oil, applesauce, sugar & vanilla until well blended. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl, mix well. Add nuts, blend again.

Pour batter into prepared loaf pans & bake at 350 for 65 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. If edges begin to brown tent them with foil. Cool on wire racks.