Twyla Sorrells's Recipe

Pumpkin Bread

Category: Biscuits & Bread

3 cups sugar
2/3 cup shortening (I use softened butter)
1 3/4 cups cooked pumpkin
4 beaten eggs
2/3 cup water
3 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 chopped pecans (optional)

Cream sugar and shortening together; add pumpkin, eggs, and water. Set aside. Sift dry ingredients and add to liquid mixture. Add nuts if using and blend well. Pour into 3 prepared loaf pans. Bake at 350 for an hour or until toothpick comes out clean.

Note: The best pumpkin bread I ever made was made with lard instead of shortening. Julia Child says bread and other baked goods will not rise properly without real fat, so I always use butter. However, as an experiment I tried this with the lard and it rose as light and fluffy as a cake and the flavor was perfect.