NORMA'S CRANBERRY PUMPKIN BREAD

 Fall has definitely arrived in MO and that means I want to cook all the time. I love the aromas coming from my warm kitchen! Fall means it is time to start baking with pumpkin, cranberries, apples, etc. This recipe has all of those things in it if we can count applesauce as apples.

It didn't take me long to decide definitely on Norma's Cranberry Pumpkin Bread to bake and take to the thrift shop Monday for the volunteers. Just as Yolanda Lodi stated in her notes about the recipe (Yolanda's All New Cranberry Cookbook) that her friend had shared with her, Yolanda loves the recipe not just because it makes such beautiful loaves but that it makes loaves - two of them. She says it freezes really well so she can make one loaf to eat and one to freeze to eat for later. If you freeze a loaf, remove from freezer the night before to allow the bread to thaw.

It is a beautiful bread and tastes absolutely fantastic! It is definitely a keeper! (The volunteers couldn't stop raving about it! Which is always a good sign! I trust their recommendations completely!)

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NORMA'S CRANBERRY PUMPKIN BREAD

1       can (15 oz) pumpkin

1-3/4 cups sugar

2       large eggs, beaten with a fork

1/4    cup extra-virgin olive oil

1       cup applesauce (I used unsweetened applesauce)

4       cups flour

1       tablespoon ground cinnamon

1       tablespoon ground nutmeg

1       tablespoon baking powder

1       teaspoon baking soda

1-1/2 cups fresh cranberries, cut in half (I used fresh cranberries that I had frozen)

1       cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease and flour two 9 x 5 - inch loaf pans. (I made one large loaf and two mini loaves.)

In a large bowl combine the pumpkin, sugar, eggs, olive oil, and applesauce. Mix with a spoon.

In another large bowl combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, and baking soda.

Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture, stirring with a spoon until combined. 

Since it was so much flour, I added it at about a cup at a time so it wouldn't be messy stirring. (Glad I did, too.)

Fold in cranberries and chopped walnuts.

Divide batter between prepared loaf pans.

Bake for 60 to 65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. (I baked the mini-loaves for about 35 - 40 minutes.) Cool on wire rack.

Remove after about 10 minutes from pans to finish cooling.