Perfect Pumpkin Bread

September 7, 2011

The smell of this spiced pumpkin bread baking will make your mouth water. The air is perfumed with cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pumpkin bread is lovely on its own but spread with a little butter or cream cheese and it's that much better. Welcome the fall with this delicious quick bread.

Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour (210 grams)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar (200 grams)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup pumpkin puree (¼ litre)

1/2 cup olive oil (1 dL)

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon fresh grated cinnamon sticks

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F or 180 C. Sift together flour, salt, sugar and baking soda.

Mix together the pumpkin, olive oil, eggs and spices with a whisk or a hand-held blender. Combine with the dry ingredients, but do not mix too thoroughly. Mix until just combined.

Pour into a well-buttered (don't skimp!) loaf pan (any size is fine, as long as it is shaped like a loaf of bread). Bake about 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean and the top is browned and crackly.

After 10 minutes in the loaf pan, turn out the bread onto a cooling rack.