Ah-Mazing Amish Pumpkin Bread

Amish Pumpkin Bread

Oh this bread is soooo moist!!!  It's ah-mazing!!!  This is so delicious!!!  Those were some of the glowing compliments I received when I shared this delicious pumpkin bread with co-workers.  I have to laugh because those ladies and I have one big thing in common--we do love our coffee break treats and when someone brings in something to share, it's like bees to the hive--we are all swarming to it.

I have to agree though, this was good, and it it keeps well.  The recipe makes two loaves.  The loaf I kept for myself was still fresh after three days; the one at work was gone the same day so no recommendations from that quarter, grins.

Thankfully pumpkin is available year round so whenever you get a hankering for something a little fallish, perhaps in the full glare of the summer desert sun, this might be the ticket to whisk you there.

AMISH PUMPKIN BREAD (makes 2 loaves)
Original recipe can be found here at Cooks.com.

3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs, beaten
1 1-lb can canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
3 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons salt (scant)
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon allspice
2/3 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Prepare two 9"x5" baking pans (either spray with baking spray or use shortening and flour)

Mix sugar, oil, and eggs together.  Add pumpkin; then add the dry ingredients, and lastly add the water.  Stir until just mixed.

Divide batter evenly between two pans and bake for 1 hour (checking after 50 minutes) or until center tests clean with a toothpick.  If the outside is baking too fast, take a sheet of aluminum foil and cut a small and fold back a slit in the center of it and place the open slit over the center of the bread; drape the excess foil over the sides of the pan.  This will allow the center to continue to cook and brown but protect the outer edges from becoming too brown and overdone.

Let cool in pan for ten minutes before removing to rack to complete cooling.

COOK'S NOTES:  This business about the cutting a slit in the tin foil, you can see what I mean here
on my banana bread post.

My can of organic pumpkin was only 15 ounces but worked fine.  Does anybody make one pound cans anymore?  I wonder.