Pumpkin Bread

Yay for pumpkin bread! My house smelled so good last night when I baked these loaves.

Pumpkin Bread
(two 9x5x3 inch loaves)

"A good bread - moist, spicy, with lots of pumpkin. This recipe makes two large loaves."

3 1/3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2/3 cup vegetable shortening.
2 cups mashed or pureed pumpkin
4 eggs, slightly beaten
2 2/3 cups white sugar
2/3 cup milk
1 cup chopped pitted dates
1 cup chopped walnuts

Megan's note: I left out the dates and walnuts. Instead, I used Craisins and almonds.

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease and flour two 9x5x3 inch loaf pans.

Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, and stir and toss them together with a fork or whisk. In a large bowl, combine the shortening, pumpkin, eggs, sugar, milk, dates and walnuts. Add the combined dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir with a large mixing fork or mixing spoon just until the batter is blended; the flour should be incorporated so there are no lumps; but there will be small bits of shortening that will disappear in baking.

Divide the batter equally between the prepared pans and bake for about 1 hour, or until a broom straw or skewer inserted in the center of each loaf comes out clean. [Megan's note: Broom straw ? The heck ?] Remove the loaves from the oven, and cool in the pans for 5 minutes before turning out onto a rack to cool completely.

Source: The Fannie Farmer Baking Book, page 557, by Marion Cunningham, 1984, Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.