Pumpkin Cranberry Bread (because I still have a pantry full of Thanksgiving stuff!)

Please tell me I'm not the only one who over-buys canned pumpkin for the Thanksgiving cooking frenzy.  This year I made pumpkin pie, pumpkin cheesecakes, pumpkin rolls AND this bread for Thanksgiving, and even with all that mad baking, I STILL found another can of pumpkin in my cupboard this morning.  I found a cup of Craisins left from Thanksgiving, too.  So there you are . . . another sweet bread for the blog and my house smells like pie spice (I'm waiting for this kids to come up from their X-Box boy-cave and ask where the Tofurkey is . . . ). 

This version is vegan thanks to the flax meal substitution for eggs.  You can use two eggs in place of the flax meal if you'd prefer, but the flax honestly makes this cake very moist and yummy.

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons golden flax meal mixed with 6 tablespoons warm water

2 cups Florida Crystals Natural Sugar

1 3/4 cups (15 ounce can) pure pumpkin

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup Craisins

1 cup chopped pecans (optional) 

 

 

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Combine flour, spices, baking powder, and salt in large bowl.

2. In a separate bowl, combine flax mixture, sugar, pumpkin, and oil; beat until just blended.

3. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture; stir until just moistened. Fold in cranberries. Fold in pecans if using.

4. Spoon batter into 2 greased and floured 9” x 5” loaf pans.  Pans will be about half full.

5. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (check at 50 minutes so you don't overbake). Cool in pans for 10 minutes; remove to wire rack to cool completely. 2 loaves.