Pumpkin Bread

Here is another one of our favourite fall recipes. It is from Martha Stewart - Collected Recipes for Everyday.

Pumpkin Bread

12 tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter - room temp
3 tbsp molasses
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2/3 cup orange juice or water
2 cups pumpkin or squash puree
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 cup raisins or currants

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 2 large loaf pans.

Cream the butter, molasses and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Beat until light and lemon-coloured. Add orange juice and pumpkin puree and mix well (will curdle, but OK).

Sift dry ingredients together into a large bowl and add the pumpkin mixture, stirring well with a wooden spoon to thoroughly combine all elements. Stir in raisins.

Spoon into prepared pans. Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 mins, then turn out onto racks to cool.


Note: I usually bake the loaves for about 1 h and 10 mins.

I keep 1 of the loaves out and put the other one in the freezer (or give it away to a friend). We make this recipe a lot at this time of year. It is so nice to have with a cup of tea.