Pumpkin Bread

My grandmother clipped this pumpkin bread recipe from a magazine over 50 years ago, and it is my most-cherished family recipe. One of my clearest childhood memories is baking the loaves with my mom and then carting them off to every neighborhood potluck and holiday party. Now I bake this pumpkin bread with my own kids and it’s just as wonderful today as it was back then. It’s easy to make — just a bit of mixing and stirring, pop it in the oven, and, in about an hour, you’ll have a house smelling of sweet autumn spices and two scrumptious, pumpkiny loaves.

This is the original recipe from my grandmother’s recipe box; as you can see, it has seen its share of spills!


Begin by combining the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and spices. I like to add everything in neat little piles in case I lose track of what I’ve added.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1-1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 15-oz can 100% pure pumpkin (I use Libby's)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Generously grease two 8 x 4-inch loaf pans with butter and dust with flour (alternatively, use a baking spray with flour in it, such as Pam with Flour or Baker's Joy).
2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Whisk until well combined; set aside.
3. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until just blended. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until very light and fluffy, a few minutes. Beat in the pumpkin. The mixture might look grainy and curdled at this point -- that's okay.
4. ..................................

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