Pumpkin Bread w/ Applesauce (2 loaves)
The applesauce I used was homemade with the leftovers from a bowl prepared for an apple galette made the previous week. Golden Delicious apple wedges (unpeeled) dusted with sugar, powdered ginger, and lemon zest. Simmered with a little water till saucy. Excellent applesauce! (Particularly if, like me, you prefer ginger to cinnamon.)
3 ½ c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 ½ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground cloves
¼ tsp. ground ginger
OR instead of these spices you can use 2 tsp. Tunisian Five Spice (my favorite, from U Simply Season))
1 tsp. salt
4 eggs
2 ½ c. sugar
½ c. canola oil
½ c. apple sauce
2/3 c. water (my applesauce was rather liquid, so I omitted the water. With store boughten applesauce, I’d add it.)
15 oz. pumpkin puree (1 small can, NOT pumpkin pie filling)
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Prepare two loaf pans—grease/spray interiors. I also add waxed paper cut to fit the bottom.
Mix together dry ingredients.
In another large bowl, beat the eggs with an electric mixed on medium high for 3-4 minutes. You want them light and fluffy. Add the sugar; beat another minute.
Add the oil, apple sauce, water, and pumpkin and stir till combined.
Stir in the dry ingredients till just combined and no flour showing. It may look lumpy.
Divide between the two pans and bake 50-60 minutes till a knife or skewer or whatever you use as a tester comes out clean. (My grandmother always plucked a straw from her broom to use.)
You can let cool in the pan before turning out as the original recipe suggested or you can live dangerously and turn it out at once and enjoy warm.
