Pumpkin Loaf

What does Thanksgiving mean to you? This year, Thanksgiving has much more meaning than those in the past. Perhaps it’s due to the challenging months my family had this past year, but now we’ve managed to pull through the hard times to get to such a better place… and for that, we are thankful. Perhaps it’s due to my renewed focus on life’s simple pleasures and being content knowing all my basic needs are fulfilled… and for these, I am thankful. Or perhaps it’s just being surrounded by loved ones, who I’ve known for years and who I may have just met… and for all of them, I am thankful. If I could, I would break bread with everyone who has touched my life and no bread is more fitting that this Pumpkin Loaf. It’s sweet, comforting and a bread worth sharing. Would you like a slice?

This Thanksgiving has been especially busy for me and my original holiday plans had to get rearranged. I can’t complain, because the reason for all the changes is due to my new schedule where I’m still trying to find a balance of home and work life. However, this weekend will be a special Thanksgiving. I’ll be hosting my family this year and as they say, better late than never! I’m excited to fill up the table with some classic Thanksgiving flavors and I look forward to sitting around the table with my family. How was your Thanksgiving? Hopefully it was a memorable one for you and loved ones!

So, this pumpkin loaf was prepared by my friend, Jenni. She brought this wonderful pumpkin loaf to the recent Thanksgiving Potluck Playdate Joel and I hosted a few weeks ago. Although I didn’t try this loaf (since it wasn’t gluten free), the other moms liked this loaf quite a bit. I got a few emails requesting the recipe since it was so good… so here it is! It’s definitely a bread worth sharing, since the recipe makes quite a bit. It can be made into muffins or even mini loaves if you want to share these for the holiday as food gifts. I will say that leftovers (if you have any), make a delicious french toast according to my husband! I’ll need to try my hand at making this with a gluten free flour blend soon…

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
3 cups white sugar
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 7×3 inch loaf pans.

In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into the prepared pans.

Bake for about 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.