My Pumpkin-Orange Bread Recipe

Just thinking of my Northern Hemisphere counterparts 

who are preparing for Thanksgiving. 

I have had a lot of requests for this recipe 

over the years and thought you might like 

to have a look. 

It is from the cookbook 

Coastal New England Winterfare and Holiday Cooking 

(follows the guidelines of the American Heart Foundation).

Quick Pumpkin-Orange Bread

1 cup mashed cooked or canned mashed pumpkin 

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup canola oil

1 egg

1 egg white

1/2 cup orange juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Optional:

1/2 cup chopped dates (this is a nice addition, I also like dried cranberries)

Makes one 9" x 5" Loaf

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat together mashed pumpkin, sugars, oil, eggs, orange juice and vanilla. Sift together dry ingredients. Very briefly stir the dry mixture into the pumpkin blend, with just a few strokes. Quickly stir in chopped dates, if desired.

Spray a 9" x 5" bread pan, or two mini pans, with non-stick oil. Pour batter into pan, bake 50 minutes (less for mini pans). Remove from oven when toothpick inserted in center of bread comes out clean (important step!). Leave in pan 10 minutes before turning over onto wire rack to cool. I often make a few batches and freeze them. A loaf makes a great gift or slice and freeze for kids lunchbox.

The loaf above was prepared for a school fair. It was one of my 'Martha' moments....