Pumpkin Bread

Here is my favortie pumpkin bread recipe. For our house, I make it without the nuts or dates, but I'm sure adding them would be tasty, too! The recipe yields 2 loaves, so you can freeze one, share with a friend, or just eat them both! Enjoy!

Pumpkin Bread (or Muffins)
(Recipe from Food for Thought, the B'ham Jr. League cookbook)

Makes 2 loaves or 2 dozen regular muffins/4 dozen mini muffins

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I used canola)
1 1/4 cups mashed cooked pumpkin
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1/2 cup chopped dates (optional)

Combine first 8 ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs, oil, pumpkin and water; beat well. Fold in nuts and dates, if desired.
Pour into a greased loafpan or muffin pans. Bake at 350 for 1 hour for loaf or 15 minutes for muffins.