Pumpkin Bread

I can't help but think the internet has really changed how often people bake, how much more confident people are, the different recipes they try, and unfortunately, how often people have a baking failure. It's just so easy to pull up Google and type in "Pumpkin Bread". Your search will yield hundreds of recipes, some from published sources, some from blogs, some from user submitted sites, it's recipes overload! This is both good and bad, because you can easily come across a great looking and sounding recipe, but when you make it, it's a big fat fail. I've learned to stick with recipes from sources I know are tested, but occasionally I'll go to a bloggers recipe or a user-submitted site. 

When I was looking for a pumpkin bread recipe, I found this one from all-recipes. What shocked me was it has a 5-star rating from over 4 thousand people! I think if 4,000 people like the recipe, I will too! I did read through the comments to see what people thought, any changes they made, and decided to implement a few of my own. Isn't it funny that I make sure I'm using a "good" recipe, but then make changes anyway? I found these changes to suit my taste and not effect the bread, so hopefully if you try them you'll have positive results, too! My changes were: subbing half the oil with yogurt, using milk instead of water, subbing some brown sugar for all granulated, and increasing the spices, because I love a spicy bread. I made 4 mini loaves of bread, 2 were frozen, but will need to be defrosted very soon! 

Pumpkin Bread

adapted from Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread

8 oz. (1 c.) pumpkin puree

2 eggs

1/4 c. canola oil

1/4 c. plain, nonfat yogurt

1/3 c. milk

1 c. granulated sugar

1/2 c. brown sugar

1 3/4 c. unbleached all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350*

Spray 4 mini loaf pans with nonstick spray.

Fit a stand mixer with the paddle.

Add pumpkin, eggs, oil, yogurt, milk, sugar and brown sugar to the bowl. 

Turn on low speed until completely mixed, about 2 minutes.

Add flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg.

Mix again on low until dry ingredients are just absorbed.

Divide equally into loaf pans, place in the oven.

Bake for 35 minutes, use a toothpick inserted in the center to determine if loaves are cooked.

Cool in pans for 30 minutes, then remove and cool on a wire rack for another 30 minutes.

If freezing, wrap tightly in aluminum foil and place in a freezer safe bag.