David likes this better than Pam’s traditional cranberry orange bread (traditional because she has made it since she was a kid, her sister makes it, and so on). Makes 2 large loaves or 4 mini loaves.
Ingredients
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ tsp baking poder
(omit salt)
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg, fresh ground if you can
½ tsp ground cloves
½ cup butter, softened, or other shortening
2 cups mashed or pureed pumpkin (1 can or fresh)
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 ½ cups sugar
2/3 cup milk or almond milk for a lactose-free version
1 cup chopped dried figs, soaked in rum
1 cup chopped walnuts
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour your loaf pans (2 pans at 9×5; 4 pans at 5×3).
- Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and spices; stir and toss together with a fork or whisk.
- In a large bowl, combine shortening (butter) and sugar; mash together until relatively smooth.
- Add pumpkin, eggs, milk, figs and walnuts; mix well.
- Add dry ingredients to the mixture; stir until just blended. The dry flour should be incorporated without lumps, but remaining bits of shortening will disappear during baking.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pans.
- Bake for about 1 hour, until a skewer or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes, then remove from pans to cool completely.
Note: For holiday breads, I have a nice 4-pan rack. Side rails hold the 4 mini-loaf pans together for easy handling.
Christmas 2014
Adapted from the Fannie Farmer Baking Book, 1984 edition, page 557