Another pumpkin bread, this time, with cranberries

Yes, ragazzi, Annalena is playing bait and switch with you again.  And she doubts any of you will mind.

Last time around, Annalena promised to continue her survey of the cruciferous vegetables and provide a roasted cauliflower recipe.  She will do that, but.... yesterday, she made another fresh pumpkin bread recipe, and posted pictures on her facebook account.  The response was somewhat overwhelming.  Recipe requests.   

Now, NONE of Annalena's army could POSSIBLY be making this to eat now, could they? NO, not my healthy marauders.  No, you're all looking for it to make for Christmas and holiday gifts, right?

Right.  Well, to be honest, Annalena made hers to give to people, but also to try to cut down on her consumption of morning muffins, which come in at about 400 calories each (she checked).  This bread comes in at 200 calories a slice, if you get sixteen slices out of a loaf (and good luck with that!).  But... knowing that a loaf comes in at 3200 calories does allow you to make your own judgements.  And, unlike the muffins in a store,  you will know what you are getting.  And here we go.


This is the recipe for two loaves, which you can half.  Indeed, Annalena originally doubled the recipe, because whatever is good once, HAS to be better twice, yes?  She used fresh pumpkin, which she had baked, scraped, and pureed.  For those of you less dedicated (or crazy), you can use a can of pumpkin.  And making two loaves is better in that case, because you need a cup of pumpkin for a loaf, and a can of pumpkin has two cups in it.  So rather than let that half of the can languish in the back of your refrigerator until tendrils reach out and try to grab you, make the two loaves.  You will be glad you did.

Let's start by putting the oven to 350.  Now, in a very (and Annalena means VERY) large bowl, put three cups of all purpose unbleached flower, and three cups of whole wheat flour.  Add a tablespoon and a teaspoon (or, 4 teaspoons), of baking soda.  Also add a full tablespoon of cinnamon, and a teaspoon each of ground cloves and nutmeg.  This may seem like a lot of spice, but it isn't.  And, as always, please make sure your spices are fresh.  Smell them.  Add a teaspoon of salt, and fluff all of this together so that it's combined.

In a separate bowl, add two cups of pumpkin (if you are using the canned stuff, please make sure you use PUMPKIN and NOT pie filling), and four eggs, two cups of sugar and a cup of vegetable oil.  Mix all of this together as best you can.

REVIEW TIME:   what does it tell us about a recipe when oil, rather than butter is used in a cake, especially when the flavoring ingredient is arguably a vegetable?  C'mon ragazzi, we've gone over this before.  You know. 

Stir it all together  and then plop it into the flour mix, and stir it all together until it's just moist, and there are no dry spots visible.  This will take longer than you think, but not long.  Now, three cups of cranberries, be they fresh (if you are fortunate enough to live on the East Coast and have access to such at your farmers market), or bagged and frozen (if you are a West Coaster.  Sorry folks, we may have winter but WE HAVE FRESH CRANBERRIES!!!!),  and stir them all together. 

Get two, 9x5 inch baking pans (these are so-called "quickbread" pans.    They are the larger of the two sizes available, the other one being... ok, another pop quiz).  Grease your pans well (confession here, bambini:  Annalena forgot to grease her pans, but either the oil in the cakes was sufficient, or she has used her pans so often, lubrication was not necessary).  Spoon the batter in equally, and get them in the oven.

The original recipe said this would be ready in an hour and a quarter.  It lied.  It was between an hour and a half and an hour and 3/4 for Annalena.  And we know it's done, how...?  OK, this one, she'll tell you:  during the baking process, the cakes will rise , crest, and crack.  Put a small knife into the center of the cake, and when there is no gunk sticking to it when it comes out of the pan, you're ready.

Let them cool for about five minutes, then turn them over carefully, protecting your hands.  Let them cool on racks.

Try not to eat these the first day, as any cake based on spices can use a day for those flavors to develop.


Ok, so we can all feel good about our wholesome, natural selves, as we eat too many calories.  Moderation ragazzi.  And the treadmill.  If you live in NYC, set it for Las Vegas.