Sherrie's Pumpkin Bread

This is a nice "quick bread" for the Fall and Winter and makes a nice gift during the holiday season, especially when accompanied by a small container of Cranberry Butter.

I usually send some along in with the Christmas gifts I ship to relatives. In early December 2007 I had everything ready to go, but then the BIG ONE hit the North Coast with hurricane-force winds. There were trees down all over, the power was out for about 4 days and our area was cut off from the rest of Oregon. I ended up taking all the first batch to work with me to share with the crew at Fort Stevens State Park, which had also been hard-hit by the storm. Everyone seemed to enjoy it--of course cutting their way through hundreds of downed trees may have helped increase their appetite!


Mom & Aunt Peggy
ca Thanksgiving, 1937

 Sherrie’s Pumpkin Bread

3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking soda

1-1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp allspice

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp cardamom

4 eggs

2/3 cup water

1 cup vegetable oil

1 can (15 oz) pumpkin

3 cups sugar

1-1/2 cups chopped walnuts

1+ cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350  F.  Lightly grease (I use Pam spray) either two 9x5  or six 6x2-1/2 inch loaf pans. Mix flour, soda, and spices in a bowl (preferably one with a tight-sealing lid--then all you need to do is shake it!).

In large mixing bowl combine eggs, water, oil, pumpkin and sugar; mix well.  Add all but about 2 Tbs of the flour and blend thoroughly.  Add nuts and cranberries to remaining flour and shake or stir to coat; stir into them into the mixture. Pour into pans.  For smaller pans bake about 45 minutes; for larger pans bake about 65 to 70 minutes. Great warm or cold, plain or toasted, or spread with cranberry butter or cream cheese!