Friday, December 16, 2005

Man can live by (pumpkin) bread alone.

If anyone hasn't completely depleted their baking urge, I humbly offer the following recipe for pumpkin bread. It's darn tasty and very easy to make, but that isn't its most winning quality.

This recipe has forgiven me every time I have fooled with it.

I removed the corn syrup and replaced it with applesauce, and it got better.

I had half a cup of mixed dried fruit in a bag, and was desperate to get rid of it, so I doubled the amount of dried fruit in the original recipe, and it got better.

I have used every form of dried fruit known to the civilized world, and it took it all and gave me back tasty pumpkin bread.

I have baked it in all shapes and forms with no ill-effects.

I imagine that if you have someone who cannot eat nuts, you could eliminate those with no flavor-based consequences.

You forget to put it in the fridge? Ha! It's better if it sits, tightly sealed, at room temperature!

I have waited my entire life for something to be so understanding about my cooking limitations.

THE PLASTIC PUMPKIN BREAD

2/3 cup oil
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup solid-pack pumpkin
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 T. Vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour, plus extra for preparing pan
1 t. baking soda
2 1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 allspice
1 t. salt
1 c. chopped walnuts
1/2 cup dried currants (or cranberries, raisins, or combination)
1/2 cup dried fruit of choice (a bit of dried ginger works well)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Blend oil, eggs and sugar with electric mixer until thick, about one minute. Add pumpkin, applesauce, and vanilla and mix well.

Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, salt, walnuts and fruit in medium bowl. Add to pumpkin mixture and mix well.

Pour into buttered and floured 9 x 5 inch loaf pan (Note: I've done it in muffin tins, mini-muffin tins, and Pyrex tart plates. As long as you keep an eye on it for doneness, it works) until dark brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about an hour and ten minutes.

Cool in pan five minutes. Turn onto wire rack to cool completely.

NOTE; Seal it up and let it sit at room temperature for at least a day for optimal flavor.

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