Pumpkin Bread

Instead of pumpkin pie, I present you with pumpkin bread. And just in time for Thanksgiving! This bread is pretty amazing. It tastes just like pumpkin pie, but has a bread texture instead. The texture is similar to banana bread. So if you enjoy that sort of thing, you should absolutely try this.

I made this pumpkin bread a few weeks ago as a single loaf, but the middle remained a gooey mess. I made another attempt the following week, but split the batter between two bread pans, and it was a wonderful success. I can't remember where I found this recipe, I just remember that when I went back to check it, the website was down. If I find it again, I'll share the source.

Pumpkin Bread
2 1/2 C flour
2 1/2 t baking powder
3t cinnamon
2 t ginger
1/2 t cloves
1/4 t nutmeg
1 t salt
1 C brown sugar
1/2 C white sugar
1 1/2 sticks butter, melted and cooled
15 oz can of pumpkin
3 eggs
1 1/2 t vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and prep the bread pans

Place the first seven ingredients (flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, salt) into a bowl and whisk together. Set aside.

In another bowl, stir together the brown sugar, white sugar, and butter. Mix in the pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla.

Combine the contents of the two bowls together until just blended.

Split the batter between the two bread pans. You can put it all in one, but I didn't have success with that method. Don't let that stop you, though.

Bake for 45 minutes (2 pans) to 1 hour (1 pan). Test with a toothpick to determine doneness. (The toothpick test can lie, just so you know.)

Let cool for 15 minutes before removing from the bread pan.

Optional: Drizzle the bread with a simple glaze made from 1 cup powdered sugar, a bit of vanilla, and almost 2 tablespoons of milk. Be sure to place a paper towel under the cooling rack unless you want to scrub a sugary mess off your table/counter.

Easy Pumpkin Pie

For every holiday gathering my grandma made pies. Lots and lots of pies. Thanksgiving called for pumpkin pie and apple pie. Other pies were sometimes requested. This year my mother made the pie as I took pictures. She doesn't completely understand the part where she pauses between steps to allow pictures to be taken, so there aren't many pictures. One day she will learn!

The recipe for apple pie was posted back in July, so here is the recipe for pumpkin pie. This is a recipe that is slightly modified from the back of a can of pumpkin. Doubling the recipe results in two pies (obviously). We made two pies, so the pictures will reflect that.

Pumpkin Pie (Printer-friendly PDF Version)
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
3/4 C sugar
1/2 t salt
1 t cinnamon
2 t pumpkin spice
2 eggs (beaten)
1 9" pie crust (unbaked)

Mix together the pumpkin and the evaporated milk in a sauce pan. Start to warm over medium heat.

Add the sugar, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin spice. Mix well. Add the eggs and mix well. Heat until warm.

Place the pie crust in a pie plate. Once the pumpkin goo is heated, pour it into the pie shell.

Bake the pie at 350 for 45 to 55 minutes. The pie is done when a knife can gently stab it and come out clean.