This is my grandmother's recipe for the best, never-let-you-down pumpkin bread. My mom made it a lot for us kids growing up - it's perfect warmed with butter. And my grandmother would even use this same recipe for a pumpkin roll. She'd just bake the batter in a jelly roll pan and roll it into a log with cream cheese icing in the center. This bread warms my bones and my soul, and it's super easy to make.
Meme's Pumpkin Bread
makes 2 9-inch loaves
3 1/2 cups flour
3 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 eggs
2 cups pumpkin puree (1 15 oz. can)
1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup water
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.
In a large size bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking soda, spices, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin, oil, vanilla, and water. Then combine with the first set of ingredients in the large bowl, stirring just to combine. Fold in the nuts, if using.
Pour the batter into two 9-inch loaf pans or 3 small coffee cans. Fill the pans about half full.
Bake for 1 hour, or until set and lightly brown on top. Let cool in the pans on the counter top.
Slice and serve slightly warm with salted butter. Enjoy!