Under normal circumstances, I will end a series of the community kitchen meet up with the dessert but for this week’s South Arm Cooking Club for Seniors, I will start with dessert.  The reason is, Charlene started off the day’s cooking with a quick briefing on baking.  Charlene observed some very common mistakes in her several seniors kitchens and she decided to share them with this kitchen.

Baking is unlike other cooking that you can estimate the ingredients and more or less in fine.  Baking is science as the right amount of ingredients are crucial for the reaction of the of the processes to achieve the right texture in the baking goods.  Here is a summary of the briefing.

• One must use a dry ingredient measuring cup to measure dry ingredients.  To measure flour, use a spoon to scoop flour into the measuring cup until it overflows.  Then, use a knife or spatula to level the flour.  Do not tap the measurement cup as this will compact the flour and yield more flour than needed. Do not scoop the floor directly into the measuring cup and try to level the flour by pressing against the wall of the flour container as this will also compact the flour.
• One exception in measuring dry ingredient is measuring brown sugar.  You have to pack the brown sugar and the brown sugar should take on the shape of the measuring cup when you turn it out.
• When measuring liquid, place the cup on a flat surface and check the liquid amount at eye level.

So, with the above fresh in mind, Ken and Frank started working on the Spiced Pumpkin Bread recipe.

This Pumpkin Bread recipe is adapted from Vern Bertana and it makes 2 loaves.  This bread freezes well.  Wrap the loaf with saran wrap and place in a ziplock back and store it in the freezer until you have company.

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil (or 1/2 cup vegetable oil and 1/2 cup apple sauce)
• 3 large eggs
• 1 x 16-ounce can solid pack pumpkin
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup coarsely chopped walnut, optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter and flour two 9x5x3 inch loaf pans. Beat sugar and oil in a large bowl to blend.

Mix in eggs and pumpkin.

Sift flour, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, 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.  Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 55 minutes.  If you are using a mini loaf pans, it tastes lesser time to bake, like 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to racks and cool 10 minutes.  Using a spatula, loosen the edge around the loaves.  Turn the loaves out onto racks and cool completely. Ken and Frank, thank you for making this delicious Spiced Pumpkin Bread and being a good learner in measuring the ingredients accurately.