Pumpkin Spice Bread

Because it's Thursday... and it's 40 degrees out... and there are 50 mph winds with sideways pelting rain out my window... and I have to be outside in it to work the steers... I'm going to leave you with my favorite recipe for Pumpkin Spice Bread.  Everyone should be baking in their kitchen to warm up the house on days like today.

P.S.- Your kitchen will smell heavenly if you make this bread.

P.P.S- I had a beautiful loaf of Pumpkin Spice bread to photograph for you, but my 6 year old decided to slice a hunk off in the "long" direction instead of the traditional loaf direction, so the loaf became mangled and no longer blog worthy.  Please enjoy these pictures of sunnier days as a poor substitute for  Pumpkin Spice Bread pictures.

Pumpkin Spice Bread

(makes 2 Loaves)

1 15oz can of  100% pure pumpkin (~ 2 cups if you don't use the canned stuff)
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 1/2 cups water
3 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Heat the pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves in a small saucepan over medium heat until steamy.  Stir continuously.  Cook until pumpkin is stiff and starts to stick to the pan bottom. (3 Minutes.)  Transfer to a medium bowl; whisk in 1 1/2 cups water, then brown sugar, then oil, then eggs until smooth.

In a separate bowl, whisk together remaining dry ingredients. Then, fold into the pumpkin mixture until just combined.  Put batter into two greased 9" loaf pans, or 6 mini loaf pans.  Bake until firm and golden brown, about  40-50 minutes for mini loaves, and 60-70 minutes for large loaves. Freezes well.