Orange Spice Pumpkin Bread

 For years, Williams Sonoma carried a pumpkin bread mix that I used to make in the Fall to enjoy with my tea.  They have replaced it with a pecan pumpkin bread and it's just not the same.  I went into their recipe file and found this recipe which has a glace that I have omitted.  The addition of the orange zest to the mix is plenty and the bread needs nothing more than a slight dusting of powdered sugar to finish it off.

Ingredients:

For the bread:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 tsp. allspice

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

10 Tbs. (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

2 tsp. finely chopped orange zest

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup pumpkin puree

Powdered sugar (optional)


Directions:

Have all the ingredients at room temperature.

Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 350°F. Grease a pumpkin loaf pan.

To make the bread, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and cinnamon. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat together the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and orange zest on medium speed until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs and pumpkin puree and beat until incorporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour mixture in two additions just until smooth.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the top springs back when touched and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for until you unmold.  You can serve plain or dust with powdered sugar.

Serves 10.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.