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Pumpkin Bread

Quick breads were a staple in my youth.  My grandmother was the mistress of the quick bread- and would make sandwiches with cream cheese filling.   Absolutely delicious. This pumpkin bread can be adjusted to remove the nuts and dates - which is what I do when I make it as mini muffins for children - most famously - for Alex Powning, who in his youth loved to dip the muffins into ketchup!
 
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Course Dessert

Ingredients
  

  • 2 ½ cups flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp nutmeg
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • ½ cup vegetable oil corn/canola
  • 2 cups pumpkin puree NOT PIE FILLING
  • 8 ounces or 1 cup of pitted, chopped dates
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Glaze (optional)

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • enough water to get a glaze consistency you prefer.

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 Degrees.
  • Grease and flour 2 small 8" loaf pans. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside. In another large mixing bowl, beat the eggs, then add the sugar and oil. Beat again until well blended. Add the pumpkin,nuts and the dates and stir to evenly distribute.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet and beat until the batter is smooth. Do not over mix. This can all be done by hand - no electric mixer needed. Turn the batter into the prepared pans.
  • Place into the preheated oven and bake until a tester inserted in the middle comes out clean, usually about 1 hour. Allow bread to rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then loosen the edges with a knife and turn out on to a cooling rack.
  • Wrap tightly when completely cool. Store in fridge or in freezer. This is a very versatile bread. Good for breakfast, lunch or dessert.

Glaze (optional)

  • If you want to add a glaze, just combine the powdered sugar and a bit of water and mix.  Add more water slowly - as it does not take much water to get powdered sugar to be a pourable consistency. 
  • Glaze the bread when it is completely cool and allow the glaze to firm up prior to serving - or covering with plastic wrap to store.

Notes

This bread is dairy-free and very versatile.  You can make it as small muffins which are nice to serve small children.   You can omit the nuts and dates for fussy eaters. And - you can add ½ cup of chocolate chips for chocolate lovers. (That will add dairy to the recipe, so be sure you know your audience.)   It can be served plain, or with a glaze or frosting.  If you would like a glaze - just use powdered sugar and water to get a consistency you prefer.