Spicy pumpkin bread

After trying many recipes and doing a LOT of experimenting, this is the most MOIST and delicious pumpkin bread recipe around! At the end of the recipe, add whatever you like most (chopped walnuts, dried cherries, miniature chocolate chips, chopped dates...) - the trick is to use sour cream and BABY FOOD (or even applesauce) instead of OIL. Oil usually makes the breads greasy-tasting and fat-laden.

Spray loaf pans with nonstick spray. I even line mine with parchment, but it's not necessary.

Prehead the oven to 350 degrees (325 degrees if you're using glass pans of dark-colored teflon pans)

Mix ingredients together in a large mixing bowl:

2 cups canned (cooked, packed) pumpkin (NOT pie filling!)

1 cup BABY food (I used a mixture of carrots and banana-applesauce) OR just applesauce

3/4 cup light sour cream  OR vanilla Greek yogurt

2-1/2 cups white sugar

4 lightly beaten eggs

2 teasp. vanilla

Stir in:

3 cups white flour

2 teasp. baking soda

1 teasp. baking powder

2 teasp. ground cinnamon

1-1/2 teasp. ground ginger

1/4 teasp. ground cloves

1/8 teasp. ground/grated nutmeg

Mix WELL - at this point, add whatever you like to the batter. You don't have to add ANYthing if you prefer it plain. I added dried cranberries (Craisins) and chopped walnuts to mine.

Divide the batter equally and spoon into greased pans. You can use standard 8X5 loaf pans or smaller mini-loaf pans. Make sure if you use smaller pans to adjust the baking time and check them after 30-40 or so minutes. The larger loaves take 45 minutes or more.

Bake the loaves - test the center with a toothpick to make sure it's baked thoroughly. Remove from oven and then remove from pans after 15 minutes. Cool completely before cutting. If you can wait that long. :-)