YIELDS:
16 servings
PREP TIME:
0 hours 20 mins
COOK TIME:
1 hours 20 mins
TOTAL TIME:
2 hours 40 mins
ingredients
3 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3 cups of sugar
4 Tsps. pumpkin pie spice
2 Tsps. baking soda
1 Tsp. salt
4 Eggs
1 can (15 oz) solid pack pumpkin
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups fresh cranberries
1 cup chopped toasted walnuts
DIRECTIONS
1. Combine the flour, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt in one bowl. Beat the eggs and mix with pumpkin and oil. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until they are all combined. Fold in the fruit and walnuts.
2. Spoon into two 9 in x 5 in x 3 in loaf pans. (spray with Cooking Spray first). Bake at 350 degrees for 70-80 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for about 15 minutes before removing from the pan. Move to a cooling rack and let cool completely (about one hour).
NOTES: “I make this bread every holiday season and often make different sized loaves as gifts. If I use mini loaf pans, I can get 6 mini loaves and they bake for about 45-50 minutes. 8 inch by 4 inch pans yields three loaves and bake for 55-60 minutes. Using tin foil pans and tying them up in cellophane with a big ribbon, really looks great. (see my FOOD GIFTS page for ideas.) I’ve also found adorable ceramic mini loaf dishes that make a great additional gift when filled with this bread. I have many friends and neighbors that look forward to getting these mini loaves and often request those little baking pans…they wind up having there own collection after knowing me a few years…lol. They keep and use the mini loaf pans all year. I have occasionally found these at Michaels Craft Store on sale or on the clearance rack so keep your eyes open for those deals.
It also easy to lighten up this whole recipe by substituting Lakanto sugar substitute (monk fruit) for the sugar and unsweetened applesauce for the oil. The texture is lighter and more like a sponge cake BUT the calories saved can be well worth it to those watching that waistline! My WW friends love it. No matter which way you prepare it, add to your Fall baking list. They are always a hit.
