Nothing screams Thanksgiving like pumpkin pie. There’s just one tiny problem with that. I have never liked pumpkin pie. It is quite possibly the only dessert on the planet I will turn my nose up at. However, pumpkin bread is a totally different story.

This week, I made 2 loaves of what I consider to be the world’s best pumpkin bread. This pumpkin bread recipe is hand-written on a scrap of paper, tucked away for most of the year between cookbooks and recipes torn out from magazines in my kitchen cabinet. I copied it from a similar scrap of paper tucked away among my mom’s recipes. Yes, it’s one of those.

Although runladylike.com is all about health and fitness, this is not a “healthier” pumpkin bread recipe. I figure after we run our turkey trot or Thanksgiving miles, why not indulge in the real thing. All things in moderation, right?

Ingredients

• 3 ½ cups flour (I use all-purpose)
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3 cups sugar
• 1 cup canola oil or vegetable oil
• 4 eggs
• 2/3 cup water
• 2 cups canned pumpkin

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a mixing bowl, stir together the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar). Set aside.
• In another mixing bowl, stir together the wet ingredients (oil, eggs, water and pumpkin) until smooth.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients, and stir by hand until combined and smooth.
• Pour into 2 greased loaf pans (recipe makes 2 loaves).
• Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. I often need to cook mine for an additional 15 minutes, as ovens vary.
• Enjoy and try not to eat too many servings in one sitting.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

What is your favorite pumpkin bread recipe? What’s your favorite Thanksgiving Day dish? Do you typically run on Thanksgiving?