Heirloom Pumpkin Bread

Maybe “heirloom” is a strong word to use for my mama’s pumpkin bread. Or maybe not. My mom did not love to cook, but what she did cook she cooked well. Very well. And this pumpkin bread was one of the things that she was known for, along with peach pie and cowboy cookies. (Sweet tooth much?) In fact, once a family friend of ours who was the head baker at a little bakery asked my mom if they could use this recipe at her bakery. Impressive, right?

3½ cups flour

3 cups sugar

1 teaspoon nutmeg

2 teaspoons baking soda

1½ teaspoons salt

1½ teaspoons cinnamon

1 cup cooking oil

⅔ cup water

4 eggs

2 cups canned pumpkin

1+ cup(s) chocolate chips, coconut, or chopped nuts

Combine flour, sugar, nutmeg, soda, salt, and cinnamon.

Add cooking oil, water, eggs, and pumpkin. Mix well.

Add chocolate chips, coconut, or chopped nuts. Mix.

Pour into two or three greased and floured tins.

Bake for about 1 hour at 350 degrees (depending on the size of your pans). When a toothpick comes out of the center clean your bread is done.

You may think that a small can of pumpkin is two cups because of its weight. The recipe is looking for two cups in liquid ounces not in ounces as a weight unit. If you look at the serving size you will find that a small can only has 1 1/2 cups of pumpkin in it. Of course, the large cans have much more than that. So you can skimp on the pumpkin or have leftover pumpkin. Your call. I always go for the full amount. You may think that a small can of pumpkin is two cups because of its weight. The recipe is looking for two cups in liquid ounces not in ounces as a weight unit. If you look at the serving size you will find that a small can only has 1 ½ cups of pumpkin in it. Of course, the large cans have much more than that. So you can skimp on the pumpkin or have leftover pumpkin. Your call. I always go for the full amount.

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