Pumpkin Coconut Bread

If you read this blog, you know I love anything and everything about Fall.  Sweaters, boots, pretty leaves, pumpkins, what's not to love?  Over the years I've posted about a bazillion recipes using pumpkin (slight exaggeration).  Point is, I like to cook with pumpkin, it's good and good for you.  I've made a lot of pumpkin bread in my life, but this recipe, that I ran across in an old Southern Living cookbook, is the best I've ever tasted.  Seriously, it's moist and flavorful and tastes like Fall.  It uses coconut cream pudding mix in the batter, which is what makes it so moist.  It's almost like cake.  Yum!  Trust me, it's good.

*Note:  If you don't dig coconut (or are allergic) you can use vanilla flavored pudding mix instead.

  

PUMPKIN COCONUT BREAD

2 eggs, beaten
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup oil (canola or vegetable)
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 small box coconut cream instant pudding
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl slightly beat eggs.

Add the sugar and oil and beat with a mixer on medium speed until well combined.

In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pudding mix, nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon,  I like to use a whisk to combine them well.

Alternately add the flour mixture and the pumpkin to the egg mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, mixing well after each addition.

Stir in the chopped pecans.

Grease a loaf pan.  You can use cooking spray but I like to use shortening.

Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan and spread evenly.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes then turn it out and let it cool completely on a rack.

This bread is just plain delicious.  It's moist and flavorful from the spices.  The coconut pudding mix gives it a little something extra.  It's awesome with a cup of coffee on a cool morning!  

You will definitely want to make this pumpkin coconut bread.  Invite a friend over for coffee and share this yummy treat (or save it all for yourself, I don't judge).