Pumpkin Spice Bread with Walnuts and Cappuchino Chips.

Challenge Day #2 without a refrigerator.  Back in October when pumpkins were plentiful, I roasted several and made pumpkin puree that I froze in 2-cup measured amounts.  Without the freezer to keep it frozen the puree ( which has a high liquid content) thawed out quickly.    So you have probably already guessed that I am making baked goods using the pumpkin puree.  The first item I made is today’s recipe:  Pumpkin Spice Bread.

This is a very nice recipe, quick to put together, and it makes a tasty bread that is good for dessert, a snack, or for breakfast.  You can add nuts, or chips of any kind to “fancy up” the recipe as you wish.  In this version, I added about 1/2 cup of finely chopped walnuts, and also 1/2 cup cappuchino chips. Regular chocolate chips are also a good addition.  To get a nice crunchy top to the loaf, I sprinkled it heavily with demerarra sugar before baking.

PUMPKIN SPICE BREAD

YIELD:    1  9″ x 5″ loaf

INGREDIENTS

• 1 3/4 cups flour  ( I used 1 cup all purpose white flour and 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour.)
  

  Lots of great spices go into this bread.

• 1 tesp. baking soda
• 1 tesp salt
• 1/2 tesp. baking powder
• 1/2 tesp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tesp. allspice
• 1/2 tesp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tesp. cloves
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup pumpkin puree ( canned or homemade)
• 1/3 cup water, as needed

1.  Mix together all the dry ingredients i.e. flour through cloves.

Mix together all the dry ingredients.

2.  In bowl of mixer, on medium speed, mix sugar, oil, and eggs.  Stir in pumpkin.

Wet ingredients: oil, eggs, and pumpkin.

3.  Slowly blend in the dry ingredients, add water alternately, as needed.   I did not use the water because my pumpkin puree was so thin, that the batter was the right consistency without the water.

4.  Stir in any additional ingredients like nuts or chips.  Pour into prepared 9″ x 5″ pan.

Before baking sprinkle the top of bread heavily with sugar for a nice crunchy top.

Bake at 350* for 60 – 75 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean.  Cover with foil if the top is getting too brown.   Cool on wire rack.  Slice and serve when cool.

Fresh from the oven, cooling on a rack.

Delicious while still a little warm.

SOURCE:    Taste of Home