Autumn pumpkin bread

I love quick breads, and one of those that I bake fairly regularly, in the Autumn and Winter, is pumpkin bread. A friend of mine declared that she was in a Fall mood and baked pumpkin bread, so that was enough excuse for me, LOL.  This recipe is a modified recipe from an old Betty Crocker cookbook, and makes two 9x5x3" loaves of moist, spicy bread.

• 2/3 cup butter
• 2+2/3 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 can pumpkin (15 0z-1 lb)
• 2/3 cup juice, milk or water
• 3+1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp cloves
• 2/3 cup raisins
• 2/3 cup coarsely chopped nuts (optional)


Preheat oven 350° (app. 175°C*), grease or line pans with parchment.
Cream butter and sugar, mix in eggs pumpkin and juice, milk, or water. Mix dry ingredients well, then fold into pumpkin mixture. Add raisins and nuts. Bake 60-70 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (I monitor closely from approximately 40 min forward. The fastest way to check for me is that I lightly tap the oven rack to check if the center is still liquid. If it shows solid, then I try the toothpick or tester to see if it needs a minute or two.


*I use an online conversion chart and round up or down, as seems appropriate. Please adjust according to your judgement, and send me a message if you find an error. Thank you.