PUMPKIN-ORANGE-BREAD
(3 loafs or 16 mini loafs)
Ingredients:
*1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
*4 large eggs
*1/2 cup vegetable oil
*1/2 cup applesauce
*zest from one orange
*2/3 cup water
*3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
*2 teaspoons baking soda
*1 teaspoon salt
*1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
*1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
*1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
*1 cup pecans, chopped
*1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
*zest from one orange
*juice squeezed from oranges (about 1/8 cup)
Directions:
~Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
~Spray bread pans with a cooking and dust with flour.
~In a large mixing bowl, mix pumpkin puree, eggs, vegetable oil, applesauce, zest from one orange and water until well blended.
~Sift flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and pumpkin pie spice together.
~Add to pumpkin mixture and mix until just mixed.
~Mix in pecans.
~Pour into prepared pans.
~Bake for 50-60 minutes for larger loafs. Bake mini loafs for 35-40 minutes.
~Remove from oven
~Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes for larger loafs and 5-10 minutes for mini loafs before removing from pans. I like to gently run a table knife along the sides before removing the bread.
~Place on cooling rack to continue cooling.
~In a small sauce pan, mix powdered sugar, orange zest from one orange & orange juice until smooth.
~Drizzle over cooled bread and let it sit for about 10 minutes before slicing. If I make mini breads, I just dunk them into the orange glaze.
Variations:
`add 1 cup dried cranberries.
`add 1 cup chocolate chips.
