The king of pumpkin breads

Also goes well with cream cheese.

Autumn rules. So does pumpkin bread.

Get yourself some with this Amber-approved recipe, adapted from a Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread I found on Allrecipes.com. It’s pretty close, with just a few adjustments for extra spice and a little more health benefits (applesauce and whole wheat flour). Don’t worry, though — there’s still plenty of sugar to make this something you shouldn’t (but will) polish off in less than 48 hours. By yourself, or with the help of friends.

In short, this bread is moist, delicious and fit for a pump…king. Haha. Nailed.

MIDWEST ILLINOIS PUMPKIN BREAD

• 1 15-oz. can pumpkin puree
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil*
• 1/2 cup no-sugar-added applesauce
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 T vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 t baking soda
• 1 1/2 t salt
• 2 t ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 t ground nutmeg
• 1 t ground cloves
• 1/2 t ground ginger**

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans.

In a large bowl, mix together all wet ingredients (up to vanilla extract) plus the sugars until well blended. In a separate bowl, mix together the flours, baking soda, salt and spices until well blended. Stir the dry ingredient mix into the large bowl and mix until incorporated. Pour into the prepared pans and bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaves comes out clean.

Makes two loaves.

*I used canola oil.
**I didn’t have ginger on hand, so I substituted pumpkin pie spice, which has all of the above spices and likely works just as well if you want to use it to replace all.