Pecan Topped Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin bread is one of my favorite things to make over the holidays. I started using the below recipe about 4 years ago and haven't bothered to look for a new one. This recipe is so simple and it tastes great. Back in my roommate days, my friend Lesley and I would make loaves and loaves for coworkers, bosses and friends. Now I just double the below recipe so I can have a few loaves to give as gifts and then a leftover loaf for myself. The bread freezes great, just cover tightly with plastic wrap and then a sheet of aluminum foil. Chances are good though that the bread will never end up making it to your freezer!

No, my photography skills did not dramatically improve over the holidays. The picture is courtesy of Cooking Light.

Pecan Topped Pumpkin Bread

** from Cooking Light

Makes two 9x5 loaves
Prep/Cook Time: 1 hour and 10 minutes

3 1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 T. baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground allspice
2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup egg substitute
1/2 cup fat free plain yogurt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup water
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
1/3 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine flour and next 6 ingredients (through allspice) in a large mixing bowl.

Place sugar, egg substitute, oil, buttermilk, and eggs in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until well blended. Add 2/3 cup water and pumpkin, beating at low speed until blended. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture, beating at low speed just until combined. Spoon batter into 2 (9 x 5-inch) loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle pecans evenly over batter. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans on a wire rack; remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.

** Check the bread after 45 minutes of baking--you may need to cover the loaves with aluminum foil for the last 15 minutes to prevent overbrowning.