Sky said he knew when his dad was getting ready to make guacamole. There would always be a avocado perched up high on a windowsill. It was little signal. He knew it was just around the corner.
And I knew it was just about time to make my mom's pumpkin bread. The days have turned cool, the sun has faded, and the air has that familiar autumn smell. The stores stack cans of pumpkin in center aisles on display. The leaves are teasing us, just seconds from falling to the ground. That's how I know when the pumpkin bread is ripe.
It sends me back to holidays, to a warm house with an oven blazing, and to my mom. But I bet you'll get a similar sort of feeling when you bake it. It just has that kind of magic.
PUMPKIN BREAD from Chambanachik's Mama
3 and 1/2 cups flour 1 tsp cinnamon
3 cups sugar 1 and 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda 1 tsp nutmeg
2 cups pumpkin 4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil* 2/3 cup water
Sift flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and baking soda together in large bowl. In separate large bowl, mix pumpkin, oil, and eggs together. Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture a little at a time, alternating with the 2/3 cup water. Blend well. Pour into 2 loaf pans or 8 mini loaf pans (I also used a muffin pan), well-greased, filling ½ full. Bake at 350° for 50-60 minutes for full-sized loaves or about 30 minutes for mini loaves, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool for 10 minutes in pans, and then remove to wire racks to finish cooling.
Wrap in foil and place in freezer bags if freezing. This bread freezes very well and keeps for about 2 months.
* You may substitute ¼ cup vegetable oil and ¾ cup applesauce for the 1 cup vegetable oil. (I do.)
(We never ice the bread- it's perfectly sweet on its own. But I decided to try and drizzle a little on the muffins this time. I used about a cup of powdered sugar, a teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla, and mixed in water until it was the right consistency. I waited until the muffins were cool and then drizzled it on with a fork. It was too sweet for Sky and I so I won't be making it that way again, but I wanted to explain the photos. If you're wanting to spice it up, you could give it a try!)
9 kind comments from you:
I LOVE pumpkin bread...ok, ok, I love anything pumpkin!!!! Oh fall and pumpkin goodness!!!
Looks delicious Erika!! I may just have to try the recipe :)
That looks awesome. Pumpkin bread is the best.
I was in Champaign all weekend, and it was so fall-y! We were at Lake of the Woods extremely briefly, and it was great seeing some of the changing leaves. I'm looking forward to being back in late October to see more of it. And hopefully I can convince my mom to make some pumpkin bread. ;)
I just love pumpkin bread, but my husband doesn't :( One of my favorite fall activities is to go to the nearby Mennonite farms and shop the fall fruit/veggie/bake stands. They always have the most delicious pumpkin and banana breads!
I love pumpkin bread! And while the rest of the country is ready for fall, it has barely cooled off here, so I'm still stuck on summer foods. I can't wait for the smells of fall coming from my kitchen, though!
Those look good enough to eat! I make it different every time - add a little allspice, ginger, cloves, or something like that! The basic recipe is my all-time favorite, and I make it every year, even if I'm the only one that eats it! That pumpkin in the garage from last year is going in the oven today! Thanks for the reminders of those wonderful autumn blessings.
I can smell it from here... okay, so I can't really BUT I know what it smells like, so I guess it's a memory thing. Delicious!
oh. ma. word.
that looks....just beautiful :)
I think I'll pick up some pumpkin tomorrow at the commissary!
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