Pumpkin Apple Spice Bread

Okay, so it’s 70 degrees and sunny outside and it smells like spring, because I live in San Diego. But it’s autumn-time, dammit, and I’ve been craving pumpkin. This moist, fruity, warmly spiced bread is the perfect vehicle to fulfill my desperate need for fall flavor. And at least it’s chilly in the evenings, when the woodsmoke smell of people faking it saturates the beachy air.

I made this bread on Saturday morning, when it was gray and cool outside, and the smell of it baking made me feel like I was as good as back in Pennsylvania for the holidays. When it came out of the oven, I promptly ate two slices and forced some on Terwilliger. I’d been a little afraid it was overdone, because the crust was getting pretty dark on top, but nope — it’s perfect. And freaking delicious. It’s rare that I don’t bring baked treats into work to foist them upon my coworkers’ waistlines, but with this bread, I’m hoarding it. It’s mine. And T’s, of course.

I used a cookbook with modified recipes for touchy tummies (which, oh alas, I have), so this bread is relatively low in fat and uses egg whites instead of whole eggs. If you don’t have egg whites on hand like I do, two whole eggs will do just fine.

I’ve halved the recipe to make just one loaf, so the measurements are a little wonky. They still work, though, so don’t let that stop you.

1 & 1/2 C. all-purpose unbleached flour
scant 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ginger
8 oz. pumpkin
1/4 C. plus 2 T. canola oil
1 C. granulated sugar
2 T. brown sugar
4 egg whites
1 large apple, peeled and chopped (about 1 cup)
1/4 C. golden raisins, chopped
1/4 C. pecans, chopped (use more if you really like nutty bread)

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, and spices. Set aside.

In another large bowl, combine pumpkin, oil, sugars, and egg whites and beat with an electric mixer until well-blended.

Fold the apple into the wet ingredients, then stir in the dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in golden raisins and pecans.

Pour batter into a 9×5 inch loaf pan sprayed with cooking oil. Bake bread for 50 – 60* minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Cool in pan on wire rack. Cut into 16 slices. Eat when it’s still warm for maximum awesomeness.

*Mine took a little over 60 minutes, but I think my oven cooks kind of slow — I often find myself baking items for longer than the recipe calls for.