Pumpkin Bread

Yesterday was Sunday, my favorite day of the week. It rained on and off all afternoon. Because we’re on the top floor of our building, every time it rains it beats down on our ceiling, creating a subtle hum. It’s the most relaxing sound and I love it.

Besides basically meditating to the sound of the rain, I:

-Stopped by the local hippy grocery store with Alex

-Contemplated going to yoga

-Made this Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Stew

-Quizzed Alex on embryology (ask me about germ layers. I dare you. I’ll be able to recall approximately 0.5% of knowledge on the subject)

-Watched Boardwalk Empire, and

-Cozied up in bed with East of Eden.

It was fantastic.

And, of course, I made this pumpkin bread. If there is one recipe you make this fall, it should be this one. I’ve been making it for years, and in the quick bread world it ties for first place alongside my Zucchini Bread. It’s so unbelievably moist, and isn’t overloaded with sugar- only 3/4 cup for the whole loaf! The cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves intensify the flavor of the pumpkin, and give the bread a vibrant orange color. Plus, it’s a one-bowl-wonder, meaning easy prep, easy cleanup, and little effort to make one of the best pumpkin breads out there.

Our loaf is already nearly gone. There’s one, maybe two slices left. It’s recipes like this that make me love baking.

Pumpkin Bread

• Author: Sarah Fennel
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins
• Total Time: 55 mins
• Yield: 1 loaf 1x

Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/2 cup canola (or vegetable) oil

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda & powder, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves until combined.
2. Make a well in the center of your dry ingredients. Pour in eggs, oil, milk, vanilla, and pumpkin puree. Whisk together the wet ingredients for about 30 seconds, then fold them into the dry ingredients until just combined.
3. Line a bread pan with parchment paper, then pour the batter into the pan. Bake for 30 minutes, then cover the pan loosely with tin foil. This prevents excess browning of the top of your loaf. Bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.