Pumpkin Bread ~ Adrianna's Recipe 1 and 2

Meet a very special lady I was privileged to call a friend.  Adrianna lived in the small enclave south of the town we resided for forty years.  The residents are descendants of Dutch immigrants.  They have farms widely known for growing beautiful vegetables in very fertile soil which originally were drained bogs resulting muck soil.

I try to follow news from "back home" and was saddened to learn that Adrianna had recently passed away.  In her obituary, it was mentioned how she enjoyed baking cinnamon rolls and pumpkin bread to share with her many friends.  Her daughter Rita was kind enough to share her mother's pumpkin bread recipe.  Notice the "pinch" ingredients.  The secret held by Adrianna Danhoff with Recipe #1 which made her bread so special and tasty.

I also want to share the email from Adrianna's daughter who sent the recipe today.  This validates the kindness which was Adrianna to all who knew her.

Mom started making this about 20 years ago and always  had this bread around when we came to visit. When the  family went on our yearly cottage vacation (last year we  needed 8 cottages) she would make it ahead so she  could give each family a loaf. My sister-in-law froze one out of the last batch mom  made. We cut it into 40 small pieces so everyone could  have a bite when we had our meal during visitation. Since it makes 3 loaves at a time she always had one  for now, one for later and one to give away. Sometimes  she gave all away to family and church family, those  who were sick or recovering or lived alone. It was her  way of sending love and prayers. Rita

Mom’s Pumpkin Bread Recipe #1

Ingredients:
3 c sugar  
1 cup Wesson oil
2 c. canned pumpkin
4 eggs slightly beaten
2/3 cup water
3.5 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1.5 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of cloves
Pinch of ginger
1 cup chopped nuts

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix first 5 ingredients in large mixing bowl.

Sift the remaining ingredients together. Add to pumpkin mixture. Makes 2 loaves of bread or 1 loaf and 12 muffins. Bake loaves for 1 hour. Bake muffins for 25 minutes.

Pumpkin Bread Recipe #2

Donna,  I didn't know there were two versions of mom's recipe.  The one I sent was her "old fashion" one with a pinch of this and that.  She did make it more concise 
with actual measurements.  I got that one from my 
sister in law and will add to this email. Sorry for the confusion.  Rita

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

2 cups canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

3 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 ½ tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp cloves

½ tsp baking powder

2/3  cup water

¾ c raisins

1 tsp lemon juice

Directions:

Mix first 4 ingredients together.

Add dry ingredients alternately with water.

Divide between 2 large or 3 small loaf pans, well greased and floured.

Bake 350 for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool in pans 5 minutes.

Release edges by running a knife around the rim if it doesn’t slide out easily.

Turn onto cooling rack to finish cooling.

HISTORY:

This is the best pumpkin bead ever!! It is Mom's, (Adrianna Danhoff’s) recipe. She didn’t remember where she got it. She’s used it for years. Guess we should have asked her earlier. It’s kind of hard to remember those things later in life.

Thank you Rita.  I will treasure these recipes!