Fall in Jersey - Pumpkin bread

Fall in Jersey - Pumpkin Bread

New Jersey farmers plant approximately 2,500 acres in pumpkins each year, with 100 percent of that going to the fresh market. The average yield is 11 tons per acre. New Jersey has weighed in at the top 15 percent of pumpkin producing states. New Jersey has a contribution of about 5 percent to the total U.S. production. 

With 100 percent of the pumpkins grown going to the fresh market, none of the pumpkins are being sold to canning houses for selling canned pumpkin, rather people are buying and using for decoration, or cutting up and using fresh to cook with, or canning themselves at home. 

With that being said, I have used fresh pumpkins that I cleaned and cooked myself to use for pumpkin pie, but to be honest, I don't find a lot of difference in the taste from canned pumpkin. So pretty much any time I make something with pumpkin, like my pumpkin bread, I use canned pumpkin which does not come from Jersey. All of the canned pumpkin is good, and of course I use Jersey pumpkins for all of my decorating. Which I do a lot of. 

This pumpkin bread can be eaten just the way it is, but I like mine with a spread of cream cheese on it. It just adds that little extra oomf, because cream cheese pairs so well with pumpkin. And of course after it is baked, you can always heat up a slice in a pan with a little bit of butter. Any way you have it, it is so nice with a steaming hot cup of coffee. 

What you will need: 1 cup of canned pumpkin - 1/2 cup of sugar - 1/4 cup of vegetable oil - 1/2 cup of applesauce - 2 eggs - 1 1/2 cups of flour - 1 tsp. of baking powder - 1 tsp. of baking soda - 1 tsp. of cinnamon - 1/4 tsp. of salt - 1/2 cup of raisins

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, stir together pumpkin, sugar, oil, applesauce and eggs. In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients, except raisins. Add flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture. Stir until moist. Stir in raisins. Pour batter into a greased loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes. This loaf makes about 8 servings. Enjoy.