Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin season is right around the corner; it may already be here for some of you!  Here's a nice pumpkin bread recipe for you.  This can be made into muffins as well.  You can call me lazy if you want, but the deciding factor for me is that it's easier to wash a loaf pan than a muffin pan.

Pumpkin Bread
(based on the Pumpkin Bread recipe in Miserly Meals by Jonni McCoy)

1 cup home-cooked pumpkin puree (or 1 15-oz. can pumpkin)
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 egg
2 T. oil
1 t. vanilla extract
1/4 cup oat bran (can omit and use 1-1/2 cups flour)
1-1/4 cup flour (I use a 50/50 mix of white and whole wheat)
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ground cloves
1/2 t. ground allspice
1/2 t. salt

Heat oven to 350°F.

Place the pumpkin, syrup, egg, oil and vanilla in a large mixing bowl and mix to blend.  In a separate blow, combine the rest of the ingredients.

Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix just until blended.

Spread batter into a greased 9x4 loaf pan.  Bake at 350°F. for 45 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick tests clean in the center.  Remove bread from the oven.  Remove bread from pan and let cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Makes 1 loaf.