Pumpkin Spice Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 c. minus 2 Tbsp. pumpkin
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
• 3/4 c. water
• 1 3/4 c. dark brown sugar
• 1/2 c. vegetable oil
• 2 lg. eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 3/4 c. flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 3/4 tsp. salt

Directions:

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350* F. Heat pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves in a small saucepan over medium heat until steamy. Stirring continuously, cook until pumpkin is stiff and starts to stick to the pan bottom, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl; whisk in 3/4 cup water, then brown sugar, then oil, then eggs until smooth.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together remaining dry ingredients, then fold into the pumpkin mixture until just combined. Scrape batter into 3 greased miniature disposable loaf pans (or 1 9-inch pan). Bake until firm and golden brown, about 50 minutes for miniature loaves and about 70 minutes for a large loaf.
3. Let bread stand for a few minutes. Turn onto a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Slice and serve. Recipe doubles easily and freezes well.

Apple Butter Bread:

Follow recipe for Pumpkin Spice Bread, substituting 3/4 cup of Apple Butter for the cooked spiced pumpkin (but do not cook the apple butter). Omit nutmeg. Increase cinnamon to 2 tsp. Reduce water to 1/2 cup. Reduce brown sugar to 1 1/4 cups.