Go Sampling

Pumpkin season is here! The air has a chill, the kids (and adults) are picking their halloween costumes, and pumpkins are everywhere. Here is a delicious Pumpkin Bread recipe from simplyrecipes.com that is sure to put smiles on faces.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Yield: Makes one loaf.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups (200g) flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 cup (200 g) sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 cup (240 ml) pumpkin purée*
4 ounces (1 stick, 112 g) butter, melted (can sub 1/2 cup light olive oil)
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons molasses
1 teaspoon orange zest (optional)
1/2 cup (120 ml) chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

Optional Orange Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp orange juice
1 teaspoon orange zest
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

* To make pumpkin purée, cut a small sugar pumpkin in half horizontally. Use a large metal spoon to scrape out the seeds and stringy stuff. Place the pumpkin halves cut side down on a foil or Silpat lined baking sheet. Bake at 350°F until soft, about 45 minutes to an hour. Cool, scoop out the flesh. Freeze whatever you don’t use for future use. Or, if you are working with pumpkin pieces, roast or boil them until tender, then remove and discard the skin.

Steps

1- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, sugar, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.

2- In a separate bowl mix together the pumpkin purée, the melted butter, beaten eggs, 1/4 cup of water, molasses, and orange zest (if using). Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined and there is no more dry flour in the batter. Do not overmix! If adding chopped pecans or walnuts, stir them in.

3- Butter the insides of an 8 x 4 x 3 -inch loaf pan. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and smooth the top. Put in the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes (depending on your oven and the color of your loaf pan—dark pans cook the contents more quickly than light pans), or until a tester poked in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Then run a blunt dinner knife around the edges of the pumpkin bread to gently separate it from the pan. Invert it to loosen it from the pan and put the loaf on a rack to cool completely.

4- If using the glaze, whisk together in a medium bowl the powdered sugar, orange juice, zest, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth. If too thick add  a little more juice. If too thin, add a little more powdered sugar.

Wait until the pumpkin bread has cooled completely before drizzling with glaze or slicing. Tip: use a serrated knife to slice. Less crumbs that way!

* Get more Great recipes from simplyrecipes.com Here

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