Harvest Bread

I LOVE this bread recipe!!  When the weather turns cooler, this bread is one of the first things I make, and it has become a staple on our Thanksgiving and Christmas tables.  It also freezes very well if you wrap the loaves in foil and then place them in a freezer Ziploc bag.  So you can make them ahead of time and pull them out for Thanksgiving or Christmas morning! 

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour (If you don't have whole wheat flour, just use 3 cups of all purpose flour)
1 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 cups sugar (I typically only use 2 heaping cups of sugar)
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
4 large eggs
1 cup vegetable oil  (I actually use 1/2 cup oil and 1/2 cup apple sauce)
1/2 cup water
1 large apple, peeled,cored, and shredded  
 
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Grease and flour two 9 x 5-inch loaf pans
Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in large bowl
Combine sugar, pumpkin, eggs, vegetable oil and shredded apple in large mixer bowl; beat until just blended
Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture and stir just until moistened (be sure not to over mix or your bread will have a tough consistency)
Spoon batter into prepared loaf pans
Bake for 65 to 70 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean
Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely

To make using three 8 X 4-inch loaf pans: Prepare as above and bake for 60 to 65 minutes
To make using five or six 5 X 3-inch mini-loaf pans: Prepare as above and bake for 55 to 60 minutes
To make using mini muffin pans: Preheat oven to 340 and bake for 25 to 30 minutes

**Cooking times will vary by oven, so check about 10 minutes before the time is up just to make sure that your oven doesn't cook differently than mine**

I really love the flavor that whole wheat flour adds to this bread, so if you have any definitely try it!  Enjoy!