PUMPKIN BREAD RECIPE

For me, this equals the perfect way to spend a cool fall morning. Pumpkin bread, steaming cup of coffee and a fall cover (magazine that is). I will actually drag myself out of bed at 5:30 some mornings, just so that I can have those precious minutes to sit outside and enjoy the crisp, quiet morning before I have to really start my day... and maybe take a nap later when Adelaide does to make up for it :) And having a cup of coffee and slice of pumpkin bread just makes it all that much better!

I've been using this recipe for pumpkin bread for several years, with an added crumb topping that I found for another recipe. I have yet to taste a pumpkin bread that tops this one (for me, at least). It's from the Better Homes and Gardens, red and white checkered cookbook. You know the one, right? I halve the recipe to make one loaf since I'm the only one who eats it in our house. Crazy right? Yes. Yes he is.

Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 cups cooking oil

2 eggs

1 1/2 + 1/6 cups all-purpose flour (weird measurements, but it's the easiest way given 

                                                                 the measuring cups I have to choose from)

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/3 cup water

1/2 can of pumpkin (15 oz can)

Directions

1. Grease the bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan; set aside. In a very large mixing bowl beat sugar and oil with an electric mixer on medium speed. Add eggs and beat well; set aside.
2. In a large bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add flour mixture and water alternately to sugar mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Beat in pumpkin. Spoon batter into prepared pans. Top with crumb topping if you choose.
3. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 55 to 65 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near centers comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on wire racks. Wrap and store overnight before slicing (which I never do).

Crumb Topping

Ingredients

1/2 cup flour

1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Pinch of salt

3 tablespoons butter

Mix dry ingredients and then cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Let me know if you try it and how you like it! I can't imagine it would be anything short of a fall explosion in your mouth. Of the best kind, of course. Plus, what's not to like about basically making a cake and calling it bread, which takes it from being a somewhat less than responsible choice to being a completely acceptable choice for breakfast, lunch, snack or dessert?? Like I said, perfect.

P.S. Time's running out to enter the giveaway! It'll only take a minute, do it here. Pleeeease?!