Pumpkin Bread

After making the pumpkin spice pancakes (below), I had plenty of pumpkin left and it seemed a shame to waste it. Since it was a beautiful fall day and I was in the mood for baking, I used the it to make this pumpkin bread! This recipe is my mom's and it has always been a family favorite, as well as a staple at Thanksgiving dinner. I think I end up making a loaf every October as well. Enjoy! 1 3/4 flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 1/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. melted butter or oil
2 eggs
1 c. cooked pumpkin
1/3 c. water
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional)
1/3 c. raisins (optional)

1. Stir together first 6 ingredients.
2. In a seperate bowl, whisk together oil (or butter), sugar, and eggs until light and fluffy. Add in pumpkin and whisk to combine. Add dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture. Stir in water and vanilla gradually (I added the vanilla to the water in a Pyrex measuring cup so that I could add both gradually). Mix well.
3. Fold in nuts and raisins. Pour batter into a greased loaf pan and bake in 350 degree oven 1 hour or until a knife inserted comes clean.