When temperatures drop and leaves start falling, it’s time to think about pumpkin. From pumpkin, pie to pumpkin, soup to pumpkin cookies, the humble pumpkin brings autumn goodness. The great thing about this versatile member of the squash family is that it can be used in recipes from sweet to savory.
These days, most cooks use canned pumpkin for ease and convenience, but fresh pumpkin gives recipes a true pumpkin taste. The following pumpkin bread recipe can be made with fresh or canned pumpkin. It makes two large loaves, three smaller loaves or one large tube cake if baked in a Bundt pan.
Preparing fresh pumpkin is easy and it can be stored in the freezer for later use in pies or other dishes.
Preparing Fresh Pumpkin
To prepare a fresh pumpkin for use in any number of recipes, select the smaller “pie pumpkins” which are more flavorful that the larger ones used for jack-o-lanterns. First cut the pumpkin in half with a very sharp knife and remove the seeds. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 to 375 degrees for about an hour, or until the pumpkin is tender. Remove pumpkin meat from the shell, mash and let cool.
Pumpkin Bread Recipe
Ingredients:
- 2/3 cup butter flavored shortening
- 2 2/3 cups sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 can (1 pound) pumpkin or one pound of prepared fresh pumpkin
- 2/3 cup water
- 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour *
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts nuts
- 2/3 cup raisins
* If using self-rising flour, omit baking soda, salt and baking powder.
Directions:
- Heat oven to 350 degrees
- Grease three two 9x5x3-inch loaf pans or 8 1/2x4 1/2x 2 ½-inch loaf pans or one 10-cup tube or Bundt pan
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together shortening and sugar until fluffy.
- Stir in eggs, pumpkin and water.
- Blend in flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and cloves.
- Stir in nuts and raisins.
- Pour into pan(s).
- Bake in center of oven for about 70 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
When cool, dust the top of the loaves or Bundt with sifted powdered sugar. Pumpkin bread slices go great in lunch boxes or dress up nicely for a holiday party. Delicious for breakfast, served as a coffee cake, or for dessert with a dab of whipped cream, this moist bread is sure to please. Now the only thing missing for that complete fall feel is chocolate. How about some chocolate chocolate chip cookies?
Pamela Watson - I first hit the road at the tender age of three weeks when my career-Army dad packed up my mom and me and moved us from Indiana to New ...
Join the Conversation