My mom’s moist, delicious pumpkin bread that’s easy to make and loaded with raisins and walnuts, perfect for a Fall breakfast.
In my house, the foods we serve are as much a part of the holidays as any other tradition. This pumpkin bread makes an appearance every Thanksgiving. And even though Mom couldn’t make it to Thanksgiving dinner this year, she still managed to send this bread, along with cranberry bread, the turkey, cranberry sauce, cranberry chutney and her world-famous, best in the whole world stuffing. She even sent everything we’d need for the gravy, including a whisk that wouldn’t scratch the pan…!
I had some pumpkin to use up so I decided to make a batch of pumpkin bread at home the other night. Both kids commented on how good it smelled as it baked (thanks to vanilla, cinnamon and cloves.) This is an easy one – it comes together in minutes. Use fresh or canned pumpkin. And it stays moist for days and even freezes well. Have a slice in the morning or with a cup of afternoon tea, Holiday chaos may be all around us, but this bread is as good a reason as any to slow down for five minutes.
If you like something a little different, try my pumpkin bread with cranberries and walnuts. The cranberries give it a tart kick. But both recipes are easy, moist and sure to please.
- 1¾ c. sifted all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. cinnamon
- Dash cloves
- 1⅓ c. sugar
- ⅓ c. shortening
- 2 eggs
- 1 c. cooked or canned pumpkin
- ⅓ c. water or milk
- ½ tsp. vanilla
- ⅓ c. currants or raisins
- ½ c. coarsely chopped walnuts
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cloves. Beat together sugar, shortening and eggs until light and fluffy. Beat in pumpkin.
- Add dry ingredients in 3 additions alternately with milk and vanilla. Do not overbeat between each addition.
- Fold in Nuts and currants or raisins.
- Pour into greased pan(s) and bake 1 hour for 9 x 5-inch pan or 45-50 minutes for 2 small.
Shortening – as in the white stuff? This is unusual for you.
Yup! the white stuff. I typically use butter (which would likely work fine here), but mom uses shortening so that’s how I made it. Keeps it very moist!