'Tis Fall!!! 'Tis Pumpkin Season!!!

I made my first pumpkin bread and pumpkin muffins last week.  Oh, my house smelled so delightful!!!  I actually first started making pumpkin bread a couple years ago, after someone gave me a pumpkin pie candle.  The smell inspired me to make pumpkin bread.  I couldn't stop experimenting with making the perfect pumpkin bread recipe, every time I lit the candle, I had to make bread!  So, I worked pretty hard on the development of this recipe, because I really like to light candles.  I again do my usual excessive adding of baking spice and molasses.  I also did two different toppings, a streusel and just adding demetra sugar to the top.  So here it is, just in time for fall baking season!  :)  Have fun!!

Sara’s Pumpkin Molasses Bread

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree

4 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

1 Tbsp molasses

1 tsp vanilla

2/3 cup water

3 cups white sugar

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt          

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon                                                

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

 Directions:

 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 7x3 inch loaf pans.  2. In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water, molasses, vanilla and sugar until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended.  Fold in walnuts.  Pour into the prepared pans. 

3. Bake for about 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Optional crumb topping

1 1/8 cups flour                                                                       

¼ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup brown sugar

¾ teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ cup margarine or butter softened

¼ cup chopped walnuts

Mix together into course crumbs.

Add frosting zigzagged across the top. 

Mix powdered sugar and milk in a thick consistency.