Pumpkin Bundt Bread

Yes!  It's my favorite time of year!  Now if only the weather would cool down a little, we'd be in business.  But I'm still making it feel like fall in the kitchen with this delicious pumpkin bundt bread.  I'm only calling it bundt bread because I made it in a bundt pan.  You can make it in two loaf pans or cupcake tins if you'd like.  I actually made my own pumpkin puree since I had two small pumpkins handy.  I had done this only once before (see post here) and it was relatively simple.  There are other ways to puree a pumpkin besides steaming it, but steaming it is easier for me.  It definitely makes you feel more domestic and crafty when you go from a pumpkin to a pumpkin bread.  Well, enough said, this bread is delicious, especially warmed with butter. I hope you enjoy!

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp ground nutmeg
• 2 1/2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup canola oil
• 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree- or homemade pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease and lightly flour two 9x5x3 inch loaf pans or one 12 cup bundt pan.  Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl.  Set aside.  Whisk together the sugar, eggs, and oil in separate bowl until well blended.  Stir in the pumpkin, water and vanilla and mix well.  Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and stir just until all the ingredients are moist.  Do not over mix.  Pour the batter evenly in the pan and bake about 1 hour or until toothpick inserted into the center of each loaf pan (or bundt pan) comes out clean.  (Mine took about 45 minutes).  If making muffins, bake for only about 15 minutes.  Let rest for 10-15 minutes before removing from pan(s).