Pumpkin Cranberry Bread

You should by now know I'm obsessed with pumpkin, right? I was really excited to find out this year that so is Elijah. It all started with our annual trip to the pumpkin patch and he got to pick out one small pumpkin to take home. He LOVED that little pumpkin! It turned into his pet pumpkin that he would take everywhere and do everything with. Sadly because of being carried (and dropped a few times) everywhere it wasn't a young fresh pumpkin for very long and he had to leave it behind in California.

Elijah and his "pet" pumpkin

Shortly after returning to Utah I decided it was time to make my pumpkin cranberry bread. This is something that I look forward to every year and have to force myself to wait to make until October (that and for fresh cranberries to come into season). When Elijah heard that I was making pumpkin bread he told me flat out he didn't want it. Since I knew of his love of pumpkins and since he never really refuses food of any sort, I was a little confused by his exclaim. I later figured out that he didn't think pumpkins should be turned into food since they were pets. We don't eat our pets! Well, as soon as I took the loaves out of the oven, he already changed his mind. After eating this bread it completely changed his mind about pumpkins being food. In fact, both him and Chloe demolished an entire loaf on their own and for the rest of the week I was woken up by Elijah asking for pumpkin bread for breakfast. He now loves anything pumpkin!

I hope you enjoy this as much as we do. This is my own recipe and one of our fall favorites!

Pumpkin Cranberry Bread
1 c pumpkin puree
1 c oil
1 c water
4 eggs
2 c sugar
1 c brown sugar
3 c flour
1 teaspoon each cinnomon, cloves and nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
zest from one orange
1 1/2-2 c fresh cranberries
2 c pecans (or walnuts) optional too

1 tablespoon each brown sugar and sugar for tops of loaves

Preheat oven to 350. Prep 3, 8x4x2 1/2" loaf pans by greasing the sides with butter.

In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, oil, water and eggs. Add sugars. Mix well. Add 1 cup of flour, spices and zest to pumpkin mixture. Mix well. Add remaining flour one cup at a time. Mix the batter until smooth. Fold in cranberries and pecans.

Pour batter into greased loaf pans. Sprinkle remaining sugars over the tops of the loaves. Bake for 45-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes clean.