Pumpkin Bread – Decadent & Healthy – You Choose!
This is the time of year for pumpkins and yummy foods created with the puree. So, several pumpkin recipes will be posted this week for you to try.
Our neighbor, Helen, recently brought over a pumpkin bread that was, quite honestly, the best we’ve ever tasted. I, of course, promptly asked for the recipe. When I saw the ingredients, I KNEW why it tasted so good…. lots of shortening, eggs and sugar! I started experimenting to achieve a healthier version. The result…. great taste without the guilt! I’ve included my healthy version along with the original.
Decadent Pumpkin Bread
3 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
Measure out and sift together into bowl. Set aside.
3 cups sugar
1 cup solid shortening (Crisco)
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups pumpkin
2/3 cup water
Cream sugar and shortening together. Add eggs and continue beating until smooth. Beat in vanilla, pumpkin and water. Add dry ingredients and beat until smooth. Pour into two large loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Four smaller loaf pans may also be used but reduce baking time to 45 minutes.
Healthy (but still Decadent) Pumpkin Bread
(What makes this recipe healthier? Extra pumpkin puree replaces the shortening, honey or agave syrup replaces the water and reduces the need for so much processed sugar, more vanilla increases the sweet flavor in lieu of the sugar, and finally, one of the eggs is eliminated without any negative effect on the final result.)
3 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
Measure out and sift together into bowl. Set aside.
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups pumpkin
1/2 cup honey or agave syrup
Beat sugar and eggs together. Beat in vanilla, pumpkin and honey/agave syrup. Add dry ingredients and beat until smooth. Pour into two large loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Four smaller loaf pans may also be used but reduce baking time to 45 minutes.
Look for more pumpkin recipes this week…. Pumpkin Foot Scrub and Pumpkin Cheesecake!
And, of course, please use your reusable shopping totes when you run to the store for these ingredients. Those cans of pumpkin would look great with any of the bags in EDEN’s Taupe and Red Hot Collection!
