{Or plain old Pumpkin Bread if you prefer!}
If you’re like me, you are deep in the midst of last minute Christmas prep, and not really looking for one more thing to do.
Or maybe, even more like me, you are near the end of Christmas prep, because you’re leaving in a few days, and you realize you are short a few baked gifts for the neighborhood?
Yup – that.
And then, you suddenly realize that you have never posted your favorite Pumpkin Bread recipe on the blog. Say whaaa?
So, even though I just posted a quick bread recipe a few weeks ago [Applesauce Quick Bread, here], I am putting up this one today, because you really really should not go through another Christmas without a few loaves of this around the house.
It’s fast and easy to make, and is a totally gift-able bread, especially to fill in your list of people like the mailman, the guy who plows your driveway or the neighborhood firefighters. I like to cut it in slices, and sandwich lightly sweetened cream cheese in between, as a bring-along to parties and gatherings – something a little different than the normal cookie tray.
I do want to encourage you to take the extra step of toasting the walnuts [assuming you are using them, of course] – the flavor is so much better, and the nuts stay crunchy. Pretty much any time you use nuts in baking, they are better if you toast them first – I keep jars of them toasted to use in baking, so that I don’t forget to do them ahead, so they can cool off before adding them to recipes.
And, as noted above, you can bake this bread without nuts and raisins, or just one of them, if that is what you prefer – it doesn’t change anything fundamental, in terms of how it will bake up and the bread will still be fantastic.
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 & ½ teaspoons salt
- 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 2 cups pureed pumpkin [not pie filling!]
- 1 & ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup molasses
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 & ½ cup toasted, chopped walnuts
- 1 & ½ cup raisins
- Preheat the oven to 375º. VERY generously butter 8 small loaf pans, or 2 9 x 5 loaf pans, set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon. ginger, allspice and nutmeg.
- In another large bowl, whisk the pumpkin and sugar together, until completely completely combined.
- Whisk in the molasses, and then each of the eggs, separately.
- Whisk in the oil, which may seem like it won't incorporate, but just keep going, and it will.
- Whisk in the yogurt.
- Mix in the nuts and raisins.
- Add the flour mixture in thirds, using a wooden spoon or other sturdy spoon to stir - mix until the entire mixture is uniform.
- Portion evenly into your baking pans, and place in the preheated oven.
- Bake for about 40 minutes for the small pans, around 70 minutes if you use large pans. Ovens can vary a lot, and you don't want this underbaked, so go by when a toothpick comes out completely clean, or use an instant read thermometer - the internal temp should between 200 - 205º.
- Run a butter knife around the inside edges of the pan, and carefully remove each loaf from the pan. Cool completely on a wire rack before wrapping to store.
- Will keep at room temp for 3 or 4 days, in the fridge for a week, or frozen for several months.
Need some loaf pans? Get good ones like these: 9 x 5 loaf pan or these: Set of 4 minis or these Set of 3 minis. heavy pans will bake more evenly and last longer – I love the set of 4 Chicago Metallic ones, but they are pricey, so the set of 3 might be a better choice, especially if you aren’t going to use them much.
And now, I am off to celebrate Christmas with family and friends – I wish you the best possible Christmas and fantastic things in the New Year!
note: this post contains one or more Amazon affiliate links
and I make a small commission on your purchase.
Check out my new Essential Oils Page!
2 thoughts on “Pumpkin Bread with Walnuts and Raisins”