Pumpkin Bread

Quick breads are so yummy. My mom used to make them for us often when I was a kid. There's nothing like the aroma of baking cinnamon and pumpkin to really usher in fall. Ever since the beginning of October the blogosphere has been overwhelmed with pumpkin recipes. Pumpkin muffins, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin cakes, pumpkin breads and pumpkin waffles. The last 2 mentioned the Witch is guilty of as well. But really, is there anything wrong with an abundance of pumpkin recipes? If you're a pumpkin lover then the answer is heck no! Bring them on! (If you aren't a pumpkin lover then I apologize. The pumpkin train will be departing soon!)

So after searching countless blogs and recipe sites the Kitchen Witch ran across one pumpkin recipe that stood out from the rest. I really don't know what it was about Megan's recipe from What's Megan Making, maybe the amazing photographs. Maybe the simple straight forward flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove mixed with pumpkin. Maybe it was Megan's confession that she will be making these into muffin size for portion control in the future! Whatever it was I bookmarked it and made it today. And let me tell you, I'm one happy Witch that I did!

Being Andrea the Kitchen Witch I (of course!) had to deviate from the recipe. I added applesauce for half the fat, to cut back on calories and add moisture. I also added a cinnamon sugar topping, the same one that was such a hit with my banana bread. I also cut back on the overall sugar by 1/4 a cup, not a lot but every little bit adds up and I don't like an overly sweet quick bread. With all the changes I'm happy to report that the baked up tall and beautiful just as expected.

Now for the all important taste test. Sweet, yet spicy and gently flavored from the pumpkin. The pumpkin makes the loaf very moist and gives it a very tender crumb. This pumpkin bread is a family pleaser, the little Witch had 4 slices yesterday and deemed it "yummy Mommy". I'll take that any day!

Pumpkin Bread
Adapted from recipe at What's Megan Making?
makes 2 loaves, approx 12 servings per loaf
2 cups white sugar
3/4 c brown sugar, divided
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 c unsweetened applesauce
4 eggs, beaten
1 can (15oz) pumpkin
3 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
fresh ground nutmeg, about 1/2 t (if using dried use 1 t)
2 tsp cinnamon, divided
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2/3 cup water

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray 2 loaf pans with non stick spray and then line bottoms with parchment paper, leaving edges to hang over like a hammock. This will assist in removing the bread from the pan when baked.

Finished loaf with the parchment hammock attached, the ends hung over the loaf pan, removal was as simple as lifting it up out of the pan!

In the work bowl of your stand mixer add the applesauce, pumpkin, eggs, oil, white sugar and 1/2 c of the brown sugar. Mix well until thoroughly incorporated.

Meanwhile mix the flour, 1 t cinnamon and remaining spices, baking soda & powder and salt together.

Add the 1/3 of the flour mix to the pumpkin mix, then add 1/2 of the water. Repeat with flour and water, ending with flour as last addition.

Evenly distribute the batter into the 2 prepared loaf pans.

In a small bowl mix the reserved 1/4 c brown sugar with the reserved 1 t cinnamon. Mix well and even distribute over the top of both loaves.

Bake at 350F for about an hour or until bread tests clean.


Nutrition Facts provided by SparkPeople recipe calculator
Amount Per Serving
Calories 218.1
Total Fat 5.6 g
Saturated Fat 0.6 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.5 g
Monounsaturated Fat 3.0 g
Cholesterol 35.4 mg
Sodium 333.6 mg
Potassium 95.1 mg
Total Carbohydrate 42.1 g
Dietary Fiber 1.2 g
Sugars 27.0 g
Protein 3.1 g