Spiced Pumpkin Loaf

Spiced Pumpkin Loaf made with my sugar pie pumpkins



Nordic Ware Botanical Pumpkin Loaf Pan

• Ingredients:
• 1 1/ 2 cups flour
  1 teaspoon baking soda
  1/ 2 teaspoon baking powder
  2 teaspoons cinnamon
  1 teaspoon ground ginger
  1/ 2 teaspoon ground cloves
  1/ 2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  1/ 2 teaspoon salt
  3/ 4 cup sugar
  3/ 4 cup packed brown sugar
  1 teaspoon vanilla
  1 cup canned pumpkin
  1/ 2 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled
  2 eggs
  1/ 4 cup milk
  powder sugar for dusting
• 
  

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Prep pan with shortening and flour or with baking spray. In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, soda, spices and salt, set aside. In a large bowl combine sugars, vanilla, pumpkin, eggs and butter until smooth. en add flour mixture and milk and combine all ingredients. Pour the batter into prepared pan. Tap pan on counter gently to remove bubbles. Bake until done 40-50 minutes. Loaf is done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake on rack for 10 minutes, then turn out onto rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar.

Harvesting Sugar Pie Pumpkins

Let’s make a pumpkin pie! This is my second year growing sugar pie pumpkins and I'm expecting a bountiful harvest. I gathered my ripened sugar pie pumpkins from my pumpkin patch but have 24 pumpkins and more still on the vine that haven’t ripened. I can't wait to make pies, cakes, breads, etc. with these beauties! 

How to Roast Sugar Pumpkin to Make Fresh Pumpkin Puree

• Choose a small 2-3 pound sugar pumpkin(s)
• Slice stem off before slcing in half so you don't have to slice through the stem. Cut pumpkin in half.
• With a sharp-edged spoon, scoop out the seeds and guts.

• Brush inside with oil  and place face down on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. I roasted three sugar pumpkins since they are so tiny and could all fit on my pan.
• Preheat oven and roast pumpkins at 350F for about 45-50 minutes. The exact time will vary depending on the size of the pumpkin(s)so you may need more time. The skin will be slightly darker and you should be able to poke a fork quite easily through.
• Let the pumpkin cool for 10 minutes before handling. Grab a large spoon and peel away the very thin skin. It comes off almost effortlessly. At this point, you can use the flesh in all kinds of dishes.

Sugar Pie Pumpkins

Sugar pie pumpkins are favored for pumpkin pies and have the highest concentration of sugar than other type pumpkins. A typical 6" Sugar Pie pumpkin is enough for one pumpkin pie (8" pie pan).

Sugar pie pumpkin blossom

Small Sugar Pumpkin - Turning Orange!

Bee on sugar pie pumpkin blossom