Pumpkin Bread

Many pumpkin bread recipes have been shared this fall as we enter the season of Thanksgiving. I like to bake loaves for gifts to show appreciation to special people. This recipe makes a mammoth loaf; it took our sweet housekeeper two hands to carry hers yesterday. So, the batter is enough to split among four mini loaf pans. Like the tomato bouillon recipe (October 2013 archives), I made up a history that this was my great-grandma’s recipe when, according to my Mom, she got the recipe from an old neighbor friend. This is my Mom’s recipe, with my update on method for plumping the raisins:

Soak 1 cup raisins in apple juice or cider. When raisins are plumped, strain.
Cream together:
1 + 1/2 cup sugar;
2 eggs;
1/2 cup canola oil;
1/2 cup water.
Sift together:
1 + 2/3 cup flour;
1 tsp baking soda;
3/4 tsp salt;
1/2 tsp baking powder;
1/2 tsp cinnamon;
1/2 tsp nutmeg;
1/2 tsp cloves.
Alternately mix into creamed mixture: flour mixture + 1 cup 100% pure canned pumpkin.
Fold in: plumped, strained raisins. Optional: 1/2 cup chopped walnuts.
Grease and flour loaf pan; Pour in batter.
Bake @ 350* 60-75 minutes.
Cool 10 minutes; Remove from loaf pan to wire rack to continue cooling.

Share with friends! Happy Thanksgiving!