Healthy Pumpkin Bread

I know I just posted about Healthy Banana Bread last week, but here I am again with another cake quick bread that I couldn't wait to tell you about.  It really is that good.  With fall in full force, I tend to want to bake, eat baked goods, and think about what I want to bake next constantly.  Does that make me odd?  OCD?  Don't answer that.


Anyway...cookies have always been my go-to choice when I get the itch to bake, but as I've mentioned recently, I've been trying to lighten it up a little bit before we go full force into the Christmas season pretty soon.  I've got several cans of Libby's pumpkin puree in my pantry that I stocked up on at the beginning of fall, so I googled a handful of pumpkin bread recipes and combined them together to come up with this one. 

Regardless of whether you love to bake, go make this bread.  You'll love it, you'll eat it for breakfast and dessert every day, and you'll come back for more soon!  Don't forget that breads like this always freeze well; you can slice it up into individual servings and then freeze, so when you want a piece just pull one out and defrost it.  Or you can put the whole loaf on your counter and devour it in a few days.  But who would do that?  


Healthy Pumpkin Bread
Serves 8


Ingredients:
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup white flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg 
6 tablespoons water
1/3 cup canola oil 
1/3 cup milk (any type is fine - I used almond milk)
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup chopped walnuts


Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.


In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients and mix well.


In a separate bowl, mix together all of the wet ingredients.  Stir into the dry mixture until well combined but do not over mix.  Fold in the raisins and walnuts.  


Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray.  Pour mixture into pan and bake for about 50 minutes to an hour, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Allow to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then remove to let cool completely on a drying rack.