Pecan Pumpkin Bread

I admit I’m a little disappointed that the days are getting noticeably shorter. I spend more time doing farm chores in the dark now, than in daylight. However, it’s all worth it once the classic aromas of fall begin to permeate every corner of the kitchen.

The scent of pumpkin and spice has been filling the kitchen all week, but sadly, up until now, the end product wasn’t even remotely edible. This is because I was crafting multiple batches of Spiced Pumpkin soap in preparation for the upcoming holiday rush. However, the side effect of the soap-making is that I was left with an insatiable craving for something pumpkin!

Fortunately, I had plenty of extra pumpkin puree on hand this afternoon so that I could finally squash (pardon the pun) my craving for the first loaves of my favorite Pecan Pumpkin Bread this season.

For some of us, myself included, it’s almost impossible for there to be too many incarnations of pumpkin, or anything that contains roasted winter squash at this time of year.

This is a classic quick bread, and is very easy to make, fills the house with the predictable aroma of cinnamon and spices, and begs to be consumed with a steaming mug of hot apple cider on a chilly autumn afternoon. Now that these loaves have finally emerged from the oven, I can finally, officially, declare that fall has arrived on the farm. This is, without doubt, is my favorite time of year! As I can’t share a slice with you, I’ll do the next best thing, and share the recipe instead.

Pecan Pumpkin Bread

Yield: 2 Loaves

Ingredients

3-1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
3 Cups Granulated Sugar
2 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
1-1/2 Tsp Salt
2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 Tsp Nutmeg, Fresh Ground
16 Oz Pumpkin Puree
1 Cup Vegetable Oil*
2/3 Cup Water
4 Large Eggs, Lighty Beaten
1 Cup Chopped Pecans

*Note: Because this recipe is oil-based (not butter or margarine) you can substitute unsweetened applesauce for the oil to decrease the amount of total fat in this recipe. This can be anything up to a 1:1 substitution without significantly affecting the quality of the bread.

Equipment

1 Large & 1 Medium Mixing Bowl
Ballon Whisk
Spatula
Rolling Pin
Zip-Top Bag
2 9×5 inch Loaf Pans
Wire Cooling Rack

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Lightly grease the bottom only of both loaf pans.

In a large bowl sift the flour, baking soda, and baking powder together. Add the granulated sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and mix well to combine.

In the medium bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, oil, water, and eggs, and blend well using a balloon whisk.

Make a well the center of the flour mixture, and pour the pumpkin mixture into the center.

Mix well with a spatula, and once combined, fold in the pecans.

Pour the batter evenly between both loaf pans. You can use a kitchen scale to weigh the pans and ensure the loaves are of equal size once baked.

Level the top of mixture in the pans, and bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool, in the pan, for 10 minutes, and then remove the loaves from the pans, and cool completely on a wire rack.

No, really, resist the urge to slice until the loaves are completely cooled, so they slice cleanly.

This bread is best enjoyed within 2-3 days of baking, and any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

As this is a generous-sized recipe, you can share the extra loaf with a friend, or neighbor, or if you don’t want to share, just freeze the extra loaf for later. Enjoy!