Maine Pumpkin Bread

I've been playing with this recipe since October and today I've finally nailed it! I think I've bought every can of pumpkin in Southwest London with my attempts to recreate the divine pumpkin muffins I had in Bar Harbor, Maine, this past September.

This recipe makes a huge loaf and 6 muffins or 3 7x3 loafs. It freezes really well and actually tastes better the day after it's made.

Maine Pumpkin Bread
4 eggs
1/2 cup walnut oil (or vegetable oil)
3/4 cup molasses
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1 can of mashed pumpkin
1/4 tsp freshly grated ginger
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp groung nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
3.5 cups of self rising light brown flour

Heat the oven to 180 C (350 F) and butter the loaf pans.

In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs and oil. Add the sugar pumpkin and molasses to the mixture. (tip: heat the molasses for 20 seconds in the microwave so it is pourable then measure it in the same cup as the oil to reduce sticking) Stir in the ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Add the flour. The batter will be very thick.

Spoon the batter into the pans and cook for 30-40 minutes or until a knife inserted in the bread comes out without any batter stuck to it.