Mom being sassy in front of the famed Beverly Hills Hotel in 2004.

In a little departure today, a personal post that’s timely for the season.

I’ve had a few of my friends ask me for my mom’s pumpkin bread recipe. I have never shared it much because I always felt like it was mine…a little private family gold mine. The bread that friends know us for and drool over. But I decided that it would be a nice way for her to be remembered…hundreds or maybe thousands of people enjoying this recipe. It truly is the best tasting pumpkin bread I’ve ever had … super moist and full of flavor. I’m sure on the scale of calories and fat, it ranks up there with a Paula Deen specialty, but memory-making food is like that. Its grandma’s butter-laced potatoes, an Aunt’s string beans with bacon, or rolled dough cookies. On top of the ingredients is the memory of being in a particular kitchen or the people you were with – it’s what makes it taste even better. Sometimes there’s even a story. I remember a time that mom made this particular recipe and she got interrupted by a phone call. Later when we sliced it and it just tasted awful, we were perplexed and sat discussing what in the world was wrong and how in the history of making hundreds of loaves, one was never like this one. When we cleaned up the dishes after breakfast she found the pumpkin sitting on the counter and she roared laughing at the fact that she somehow managed to bake it without the pumpkin! Yes, she made another. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Mom’s Pumpkin Bread
This recipe makes 2 large loaves of bread or several small loaves or muffins.

Mix together the following ingredients in a LARGE bowl:
•    3 cups sugar
•    1 2/3 cups pumpkin (one small can of the 100% pumpkin – NOT Pumpkin pie filling). I have also made this using pumpkin obtained from cooking a medium sized pie pumpkin.
•    4 eggs
•    1 cup oil
•    2/3 cup water

Stir together well. If you use raw pumpkin, make sure you use a food processor or blender to break it down so its not chunky or stringy, but more smooth like the canned variety.

In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients:
•    3 ½ cups flour
•    2 tsp. salt
•    2 tsp. baking soda
•    1 tsp. baking powder

Once mixed well, add this mixture to the wet ingredients in small batches using a hand mixture to incorporate. Then add spices and mix well to incorporate them into the batter.
•    1 tsp. cinnamon
•    1 tsp. nutmeg
•    1 tsp. allspice
•    1 tsp. ground clove

This batter rises well so do not fill to the top of pans or it will spill over. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes. If doing muffins or smaller breads, time will be reduced so check often. When top springs to the touch it should be done. Do not over brown or it will dry out.

Option: Mom used to make a cream cheese with crushed pineapple mixture to serve with this. Drain the pineapple very well, soften the cream cheese and then mix an amount to your liking to liven up the cream cheese (about a ½ cup should be plenty).