Pumpkin Bread

My long-time friend Leah and I used to get a bread like this from a bakery near where we lived--we looked forward to pumpkin bread time every year and it was a highlight of the fall! This "bread" has more sugar than my normal pumpkin cake recipe, but it's delicious! It sounds like a lot of ingredients/steps, but the process is very similar to making cookies or another basic cake. It doubles well; just use 1 whole can of pumpkin. The chocolate chips are my addition in honor of Leah; the original calls for raisins and walnuts.

~from Joy of Cooking, 1997 edition

• 1 1/2 c. flour
• 1 1/2 t. ground cinnamon
• 1 t. baking soda
• 1 t. salt
• 1 t. ground ginger
• 1/2 t. nutmeg
• 1/4 t. ground cloves
• 1/4 t. baking powder
• 1/3 c. water or milk (I use milk)
• 1/2 t. vanilla
• 6 T. unsalted butter, softened
• 1 c. white sugar
• 1/3 c. packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 c. pumpkin puree
• (1/2 c. chocolate chips)
• (1/2 c. raisins and/or 1/2 c. coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans)
  

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan or 3 mini loaf pans.
   
2. Whisk dry ingredients (flour through baking powder) together.
3. Combine milk or water with vanilla in another bowl.
4. Beat butter until creamy, about 30 seconds. Gradually add sugars and beat on high until lightened in color and texture, about 3-4 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add pumpkin puree and beat on low speed until just blended.
5. Add flour mixture in three parts, alternating with milk mixture in 2 parts, beating on low speed until smooth.
   
6. Fold in desired additions (chocolate chips, raisins, and/or nuts).
7. Scrape batter into pan(s) and bake about 1 hour--until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (baking time is not quite 1 hour for mini pans). Let cool in the pan on a rack for 5 to 10 minutes before unmolding to cool completely.

Makes 1 loaf or 3 mini loaves