Pumpkin Bread - Foster's Market (Or Muffins or Bundt Cake)

From Foster's Market (North Carolina). This pumpkin bread has a wonderful flavor. You can use two loaf pans, a 12-cup bundt pan, or make 2 dozen muffins (if making muffins, bake for only 15-20 minutes). Feel free to add chopped pecans to the batter. You can also add a streusel topping or once the bread has cooled you can sprinkle with powdered sugar.

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 24
• Yields: 2 loaves

Ingredients

• 3 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2  teaspoons baking powder
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1  tablespoon ground nutmeg
• 2 1⁄2 cups sugar
• 4  large eggs
• 1  cup canola oil or 1  cup  safflower oil
• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 1⁄2 cup water
• 1  teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease and lightly flour two 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pans or one 12 cup bundt pan. (Or line 24 muffin cups with paper muffin cup liners).
3. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl and set aside.
4. Whisk together the sugar, eggs, and oil in a separate bowl until well blended. Stir in the pumpkin, water and vanilla and mix well.
5. Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and stir just until all the ingredients are moist. Do not over mix.
6. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans and bake about 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each loaf comes out clean (start checking at about the 45 minute mark). If making muffins, bake for about 15 minutes.
7. Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before removing from the pans.