Foster's Market Pumpkin Bread

I lived in Durham, North Carolina, for five years and during that time we were frequent visitors to the wonderful Foster's Market where I first had Sara's Pumpkin Bread.  I purchased the cookbook and haven't stopped making this recipe since.  It's delicious, especially during the fall and winter months.  Here is her recipe.

Makes two 9×5 inch loaves

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 or safflower oil
One 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and lightly flour two 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pans.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl and set aside.

Whisk together the sugar, eggs, and oil in a separate bowl until well blended. Stir in the pumpkin, water and vanilla and mix well.

Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and stir just until all the ingredients are moist. Do not over mix.

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 and the top begins to crackle slightly.


Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before removing from the pans.