Pumpkin Bread with Cinnamon Butter

Fall is my favorite time of the year: the brisk chilly air, the holidays and family time, the warm blankets and sweaters, and the food. From the warm, comforting nature of soups and hot chocolate to the spicy smell of baked goods filled with cinnamon and nutmeg, fall food is the best. And this pumpkin bread with cinnamon butter is no exception. It was easy to put together and it made the house smell like heaven. Spread on a little bit of this wonderful cinnamon butter and you have yourself a perfect day. The best part about this bread, besides the smell, was the cakey, moist texture. I had some for breakfast and didn't feel even a little guilty because it's full of pumpkin. Pumpkin overrules the cake guilt every time. It's bread! Pumpkin bread with cinnamon butter!

Pumpkin Bread
*From In Good Taste

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
2 large eggs
2 cups (16 ounces) pure pumpkin purée
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional-I left this out)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9x5-inch loaf pans, line the bottoms with wax paper or parchment paper, then grease the paper. Stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Beat the sugar and oil together in a large bowl until blended.

Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until well blended. Then add the pumpkin.

Mix.

Add the flour mixture and stir until just blended. Don't stir too much or it will become tough.

Fold in the nuts, if using. Pour the batter into the prepared pans.

Bake for 70 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of the loaves comes out clean. Cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

Remove from pans and allow to cool completely before serving. Remove wax paper before slicing. Enjoy with cinnamon butter!

Cinnamon Butter

1 stick unsalted butter, softened
4 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar

Mix all ingredients together and then beat with an electric mixer.

Store in a sealed container and refrigerate until ready to use.

Enjoy with pumpkin bread!