I love making this bread. Itā€™s easy and quick. These loaves make great holiday gifts. Wrap in plastic and tie a bow and you are ready to go. This recipe makes two loaves (one to eat now and one for the freezer). For people with food sensitivities, the recipe can easily be converted to gluten free.

Recipe is made is two parts, mixing dry ingredients, mixing wet ingredients, and then mixing dry ingredients into the wet.

Prep Time: 20 minutes, unless you roast your own pumpkin, add another 2 hours. Ā Cooking Time: 45-55 minutes at 350 degrees Serves: 10 slices per loaf

Ingredients – 3Ā½ C of flour*, Ā 2Ā¾ C sugar, Ā 1 t salt, Ā 2 t baking soda, Ā 1 t baking powder, Ā Ā½ t nutmeg, Ā 1 t allspice, Ā 1 t cinnamon, Ā Ā½ t cloves, Ā 1 C vegetable oil, Ā 4 large or 3 jumbo eggs (room temp), Ā 16 oz canned unsweetened pumpkin orĀ 2 cups of fresh**, Ā Ā½ C water, Ā Ā¾ C of raisins (optionally), Ā Nuts or seeds to sprinkle on top (Optional. Whatever you like, either walnut, sunflower or pistachio)

*flour option: 1 Ā¾ C regular white and 1 Ā¾ C whole wheat Gluten free: Instead of using flour you may substitute with any gluten free flour such as Bobā€™s Red Mill gluten free flour. In this recipe I used an 18oz bag of Trader Joeā€™s Gluten Free Pancake and Waffle mix.

**If you want to make your own pumpkin puree, this would be your first step: Place a 5 pound sugar pumpkin on a roasting pan and place in a 400 degrees oven and bake for 1.5-2 hours (bake until very soft. Itā€™s alright if the skin gets charred.) Cool for half hour. Peel away the skin. Cut in half and remove seeds. Mash the pumpkin flesh using a food mill or a potato masher. You may make the puree the night before and place in refrigerator. Prior to making the bread bring puree to room temperature one or two hours before using. Note: If you have a little extra puree leftover, add to the pumpkin mixture and decrease the amount of water by 2 teaspoons. A 5 pound sugar pumpkin will yield enough puree to make 4 loaves of pumpkin bread or two recipes.

Prepare two loaf pans by coating pans with vegetable oil, then rub a bit of flour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Directions: In a large bowl mix together the first 9 dry ingredients with a whisk or fork. Set aside. In another bowl, mix together eggs, oil, water (gluten free, decrease water by 2 tablespoon)Ā and pumpkin puree either by hand or in a mixer. Beat for a couple of minutes until blended. Slowly add dry ingredients and mix until well blended (about 4 minutes). Add raisins.

Pour batter evenly into two loaf pans. Sprinkle with nuts or more raisins if desired.Ā  Bake about 45-60 minutes. Bread is done when either toothpick or knife inserted into the middle of loaves comes out clean.Ā  Take out of oven and cool for about 10-15 minutes then turn out onto a cooling rack. Cool completely, if you can, before eating.

Helen working2 Reflexology Healing Medfield MAAbout the Creator – Helen Chin Lui. Helen is a certified Reflexologist and a certified energy medicine practitioner. She is the owner of the Healing Place. When she is not working with clients to relieve their pain, she is cooking or knitting. If you would like to schedule a FREE consultation with Helen please call 508 359-6463

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