Garam Masala Pumpkin Bread

I’ve been neglecting this blog for almost a whole year. I have no excuses, audiologist no interesting stories about sabbaticals and traveling abroad, cheapest no real reasons why I’ve been so quiet. It’s a simple reason, valeologist really. I was busy. Just trying to figure out the ins and outs of life with a baby, a fulltime job and a 2-hour commute. Cooking has taken a back seat, and the blog was left behind. But no more. I’m committing to cooking and posting again. Starting now.

I know I say this every year, but I’ll say it again – Fall is my absolute favorite time of year to cook. I love all of the colorful harvest ingredients. The squashes and apples and pears. The welcome coolness in the air. Footballs on Saturdays and Postseason baseball. Oktoberfest beers.

This recipe has been sitting in my drafts folder since last year. It’s a simple pumpkin bread, but I’ve used Garam Masala instead of the typical “pumpkin pie spice”. The result is a slightly more exotic bread that is just as moist and addictive as its traditional cousin. It also makes an excellent office Halloween treat.

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Garam Masala Pumpkin Bread

3 cups sugar
1 cup unsalted butter
3 large eggs
1 16-ounce can solid pack pumpkin
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp Garam Masala
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
2 tbsp. coarse ginger sugar*

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9x5x3-inch loaf pans. Beat sugar and oil in large bowl to blend. Mix in eggs and pumpkin. Sift flour, garam masala, baking soda, salt and baking powder into another large bowl. Stir into pumpkin mixture in 2 additions. Mix in walnuts, if desired.

Divide batter equally between prepared pans. Dust the top with ginger sugar. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Transfer to racks and cool 10 minutes. Using sharp knife, cut around edge of loaves. Turn loaves out onto racks and cool completely.

*To make ginger sugar, toss 1 cup coarse sugar crystals (Sugar in the Raw) with 1 tsp. ground ginger.

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