Recently, I baked my favorite pumpkin bread.
I first posted this recipe in October of 2010. This delicious autumnal bread resonant with those familiar spices found in a slice of pumpkin pie symbolizes to me the arrival of fall.
Finding myself this year on the opposite coast experiencing a completely different climate and terrain than what we have known, I anticipated missing the stunning beauty that is autumn on the east coast.
For the last 25 years we lived on a street lined with a type of maple tree called October Glory, and the name says it all. Each year our entire street was magically transformed underneath a beautiful orange canopy when the fall foliage was at its peak.
So naturally I will miss anticipating that beautiful show this season.
However, when walking back to our apartment from downtown the other day I was thrilled to see these trees across the street. Notice the gorgeous mountains in the middle.
These same mountains will be surrounding our new home, with breathtaking views from almost anywhere in this charming town.
I was instantly reminded when viewing this snapshot that although I have moved from a street, village, city, state, coast where the colors of autumn reign supreme I have moved to an amazing new place filled with so much natural beauty and an almost perfect climate enabling us to enjoy it year round.
So baking this pumpkin bread yesterday seemed most appropriate, even before I realized that the calendar announced it was the first of October!
I had to tweak a couple of things from the original recipe…
Although I always make it in a loaf pan, I don’t have a loaf pan in this kitchen. I substituted a 9 inch square baking pan. (A 9×5 inch loaf pan and a 9inch square pan each hold 8 cups…love that google).
So all I had to do was cut back on the baking time by about 15 minutes.
Whereas I usually use the individual spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice I was excited to find these cute tiny boxes of various organic spices, and in particular a pumpkin pie spice.
I avoided having to buy a bottle of each spice which is a good thing
since all my spices are snugly packed away in boxes in storage at the moment, eagerly awaiting their arrival to the new kitchen!
Fortunately an electric mixer isn’t necessary for this pumpkin bread so in no time at all this…
became this…
So to help get you into the fall spirit, why don’t you bake up a quick pumpkin bread…either in a loaf pan or a square pan, it is delicious!