Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Pumpkin Molasses Tea Bread | Blogger C.L.U.E. Society


The San Francisco Bay Area is made up of micro climates.  You could drive one hour in any direction from San Francisco and experience on average a 25+ degree difference.  According to the weather authorities here, we are in for a very warm week ahead and averaging in the low to mid 90’s.  Living in the Bay Area, we are known for our Indian Summers where despite the calendar stating it is fall; we have summer like weather through the end of October many years. 




We have been in a drought here for the last four years with this year being the most severe.  We have a 25% reduction on water usage which is based on our 2013 usage. Hubby and I have cut our usage by almost 70% from the 2013 baseline.  I hope and pray the newscasters are correct and that we are in for an El Nino year this winter – we certainly need it. 

It is time again for Blogger C.LU.E. Society and for the month of September we were tasked to find a recipe with our assigned blog that had fall fruit.  With the weather simply screaming summer, it made this month’s theme all the more challenging.  I do love a challenge.  I first searched for apple and pear recipes, and then moved onto pumpkin.  I know you are probably asking yourself – “isn’t pumpkin a vegetable?”  That is what I thought too until I did a bit more research.


A pumpkin is not a vegetable; it's a fruit! Fascinating - huh? In fact, it's a berry. Pumpkins belong to the family Cucurbitaceae, which includes cucumbers, melons, squash, and gourds. Within this family is the genus Cucurbita which includes gourds, winter and summer squash, and all varieties of pumpkin. There are four species that are considered "pumpkins," but only one is the species most people would recognize as the traditional pumpkin used for carving jack-o-lanterns and baking pies.

This month I was assigned to A Spoonful of Thyme who is published by Kathy.  She has early memories of feasting at her Grandmother’s house each Sunday for dinner.  Her Mom is a good cook and so I believe she was destined for the same talents. Her cooking talents took off when she and her husband joined a Gourmet Club – that was 33 years ago and still going strong with the club – impressive!  Kathy’s mantra is that she believes there is always “thyme” to cook and sit down as a family for an evening meal. Cooking is a wonderful way to bring family and friends together to enjoy food and each other.  I could not agree more.


After searching and searching through her expansive recipe collection, I finally decided to find a pumpkin recipe, although the season is a little early, I say – why not!  I found this great recipe for Pumpkin Molasses Tea Bread, which completely intrigued me.  I made some deletions and additions to put my signature on this wonderful recipe.  Thank you Kathy for the terrific recipe!



Pumpkin Molasses Tea Bread

2 Cups Flour
½ teaspoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Salt
½ Cup Molasses
½ Cup Sugar
½ Cup Vegetable Oil
2 Large Eggs
1 Cup + 2 Tablespoons Pumpkin Puree
½ teaspoon Ground Ginger
½ teaspoon Cinnamon
½ teaspoon Cardamom
½ teaspoon Ground Cloves
½ teaspoon Nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Use a stand mixer and add the pumpkin puree, sugar, molasses and eggs and mix.  Next add the vegetable oil, salt, baking powder and baking soda and mix together.  Then add the spices and mix.  Last slowly add the flour until well combined.


Grease and flour a 9 inch loaf pan. Add the mixture and bake for about 1 hour.  Use a knife to test the center.  It will be done when it comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes.  Then turn the bread out onto a wire rack to cool completely.  Finish with dusting it with powdered sugar over the top.  Slice and enjoy with your favorite cup of tea.

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  • 16 comments:

    1. Fabulous looking bread! The powdered sugar really makes it pretty. I'm not sure I knew pumpkin was a fruit. I must make this one soon. Thanks for a great recipe.

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    2. My family loves pumpkin bread and will eat it all year round! Your loaf is a beauty---and the molasses must give it a caramelly undertone as well as the rich, deep color! I'd love a slice, or two, or three....

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    3. Oh my that sounds delicious and I can only imagine how good it smelled in your kitchen while baking. :)

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    4. This looks wonderful and I just love the powdered sugar sprinkled on top - I sure hope you get the El Nino this year, here in Oklahoma we were in a severe drought for several years until the heavens opened up in May of this year and now we seem to be back in well-soaked property .

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    5. Your bread is lovely! I am pleased that you were able to adjust and liked the recipe. Thank you for visiting the blog and for the very kind words.

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    6. I can almost taste the deep rich goodness of this pumpkin bread.

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    7. Sounds yummy, I bet your house smelled wonderful!

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    8. This looks wonderful for the cool days coming up when I start craving things to have with coffee. Yum!

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    9. Oooh, I'm so curious to try this with the addition of molasses. It looks fantastic!

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    10. I love that generous blanket of powdered sugar on top, and the molasses/pumpkin combination sounds so perfectly "fall"!

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    11. Wow. I don't think I've seen a pumpkin bread with that gorgeous color before. It's so rich and warm and delicious looking!

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    12. Oh, that bread is calling my name. How I would love a slice with a hot cup of tea right now. I'd happily send you any of our rain we've been having here this month, it's been too much. I hope some goes your way very soon, Lisa!!

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    13. A berry?? Who knew??
      Whatever it is, pumpkin is a favorite around our house and we eat it all year round. And I'm pretty darn sure I'm adding this recipe to our year round list!

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    14. I agree with Kim..."Whatever." Pumpkin is my favorite too and I would eat it as a veggie, a fruit, or a berry. (Really?) Great recipe for fall.

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    15. What better way to say "Hello, Fall!" than with this bread.

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    16. Cool, rainy days are ahead! *fingers crossed* Love the spices you used and the deep rich color that the molasses imparts - the blanket of powdered sugar really sets it off :))

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