Pumpkin Bread

I love this time of year, especially when the house smells like a fresh-baked pumpkin. This is a great old Maine recipe – moist and spicy. The bread actually tastes even better the day after it is baked and freezes really well. It’s perfect for holiday gift giving!

Pumpkin Bread
Yields 3 loaves

Ingredients
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
4 eggs
½ cup real butter
½ cup vegetable or canola oil
2/3 cup water
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 ¾ cups white sugar
½ teaspoons real vanilla
½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
¼ to ½ teaspoon ground ginger

Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour three 7x3 inch loaf pans. (I used the 3-pack of foil pans found at the store and put them directly on oven rack - don't put on a cookie sheet).

In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water, vanilla and sugar until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into the prepared pans.

Bake for about 50-60 minutes in the preheated oven.

Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.