The BEST Pumpkin Bread EVER!

Does anyone else love pumpkin as much as I do?  Why do we keep pumpkin recipes for the fall/winter?!  I love pumpkin cookies, bread, cheesecake, etc.  When chocolate chips are added, it just makes it 10x better!  Who agrees?  This is my go-to recipe when I want to make the yummiest pumpkin bread ever.  My mom found it years ago, and I've been making it ever since.  This recipe makes A LOT!  Which, makes it perfect for neighbor/friend gifts (which I have done before).  It calls for a lot of spices, but honestly, it's all just thrown together, not hard at all!  And you can honestly say, you made it from scratch.  I actually made this a few weeks ago with the Young Woman in my church, we had a cooking night, so I taught them how to make this.  It was a huge hit, and they loved that they got to each take a loaf home.

Look at this yummyness!

Add the sugars and pumpkin and mix well on low speed.  Then add the eggs, oil, and water and mix until combined.

Slowly add in the flour, and spices until well blended.  (The mixer is actually my friends, she lucky enough to have a Bosch!  I'm a big fan now, and would love to have one of my own.  I don't own any stand mixer, and I have always had to use an electric hand mixer.  It uses a lot of muscles, but it's doable.  But using a mixer, definitely makes it a lot easier, and quicker!  Any recommendations, along the same lines as a Bosch, but maybe a lot cheaper?)

If you're making all loafs the same, then add in the extras here. 

I only do chocolate chips, so mix until well blended.

Pour into loaf pans until 1/2 full.  Bake @ 350 for 50-60 minutes.  You can use other size loaf pans as well, just make sure to cook accordingly.  (The tiny loaf pans make perfect gifts!)

Let cool and serve.

Look at all that yummy goodness.

Yum!

Moist Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:
2 1/4 c. sugar
2 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar or 1 box brown sugar (1 lb.)
1 - 29 oz. can pumpkin
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups canola oil
1 c. water
5 1/4 c. flour
1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 Tbs. ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cloves
2 1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp. baking soda

6 aluminum loaf pans, 4 x 8 inches

Optional Ingredients

Chocolate chips
raisins
walnuts or pecans

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl (It's easiest to use a 5 quart kitchen aid mixer and it makes mixing a breeze, I don't own one) add the sugars and pumpkin and mix well on low speed. Then add the eggs, oil, and water and mix until combined.
Add the flour one cup at a time until mixed in. Slowly add all the spices, salt and baking soda until completely blended. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
Pour the batter into greased or Pam sprayed loaf pans (4 x 8 inches) until half full.
Now for the fun part. Since you will be making 6 loaves, you can add any of the following to each pan:

• 3/4 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped
• 3/4 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (highly recommended)

**I personally like this pumpkin bread recipe with chocolate chips so I add 2 bags to the batter and mix in, instead of directly into each loaf pan.

**If you are adding these extra ingredients last, experiment and make a couple loaves with chocolate chips, a couple with raisins, and a couple with walnuts. Then you will know what you like.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 65 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm with milk and enjoy!

To freeze the loaves, simply wrap each loaf in saran wrap and then place in a freezer zip loc bag. They will be good to go when you need them.  (They don't last that long in my house.)  Enjoy!