The first time I baked this loaf, I made a note that it is “fabulous”. Time to make it again, me thinks! I just love all the spices found in fall baking, they just smell so darned good!
Make the Pumpkin Loaf
2 cups unbleached flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground cloves
½ tsp. ground ginger
½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature (4 oz.)
¾ cup + 1 Tbsp. sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup tinned pumpkin** (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 ½ tsp. grated lemon peel
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
½ cup sour cream
½ cup homogenized milk
1 ½ cups chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 325 F.
Spray a 9x5x3″ metal loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Sift first 7 ingredients into a medium bowl. With an electric mixer, beat butter in a large bowl until light. Gradually beat in ¾ cup sugar. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in the pumpkin, lemon peel & vanilla. Whisk sour cream & milk in a small bowl. Beat the flour & sour cream/milk mixture alternately into the batter in 2 additions each. Fold in the nuts. Transfer batter to the pan; smooth top & sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. sugar.
Bake the loaf on the middle rack until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a rack. Turn out loaf onto the rack; cool completely.
If you like, you can serve the slices with a little butter, or orange marmalade. I don’t but it’s up to you!
If you want to make your own pumpkin puree, please go to Making Pumpkin Puree.
