Pumpkin Bread

Aundra had a Christmas party to go to, and wanted to make a pumpkin pie. She came over and made a beautiful pie that I think was a big hit at her party. When we were cleaning up, I noticed we had some pumpkin left over. If you've ever baked and pureed your own pumkin, you know how precious the stuff is. So I decided to whip up some pumpkin bread. I like to make the little loaves, and use them with cookies and candy to make homemade Christmas gifts for friends and the mailman. We have the best mailman. Anyway, my pumpkin bread recipe comes from The All New All Purpose Joy of Cooking. I thought it was going to be the last Joy of Cooking, as it was a big deal when this version came out, but they just recently came out with a newer All New All Purpose Joy of Cooking. The Joy of Cooking is a total go-to book for anything you think you'd like to make. We've used it many, many times, which is possibly why the index pages keep falling out. Or could it be becasue I bought it at Costco? So now I guess I'll have to get the newer updated version. After all, my old one is falling apart.

Pumpkin Bread

1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/3 cup milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
6 tbs. unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar, or 1 cup sugar and 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 1 large or 4 mini loaf pans. Whisk together dry ingredients in a large bowl. Pour out the milk in a measuring cup, and add the vanilla to it. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until creamy. Gradually add the sugar, and beat on high speed until lightened, about 4 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add pumpkin and beat on low until just combined. Add the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the milk mixture in 2 parts, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Scrape the batter into the pans and spread evenly. Bake 1 hour for a large loaf and about 30 minutes for mini-loaves, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Make sure your homemade pumpkin puree is always drained. I put mine in a fine mesh stariner lined with cheesecloth for about 1/2 hour before using.
A little note about eggs. I used to be very bold about eggs. I'd just crack them into the bowl without a care. Then one time, I was making cookie dough, and I accidentally dropped egg shell into the batter. I thought I had gotten it all out, until I started rolling out the dough and saw that it was speckled with egg shell. I had to throw it all out, and start again. Now I always crack the eggs into a bowl or a measuring cup first.