The Great Pumpkin

The Hortons gave us a huge platter of home-baked Christmas goodies at Christmas time. HUGE. (Having a husband who is on the Board has its perks.) One of the favourite items included was a melt-in-your-mouth pumpkin loaf. I told her how much we loved it, hoping for a copy of the recipe, of course. She didn't bite. Luckily I found this recipe in my Company's Coming Muffins & More cookbook.

Unfortunately, I didn't think to get a picture of just the loaf. I did take a picture of the cute tag I made for the loaf I took to my sister when she was foolish brave enough to have a houseful of people for a pot luck while in the middle of renovating her kitchen and (only) bathroom.


You can easily make two loaves with one can of pumpkin and one brick of cream cheese, so go ahead and grease two pans. Everyone will love this so much, you'll probably need two anyway.

125g cream cheese
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional, but very yummy)

Put softened cream cheese, butter an sugar in mixing bowl. Cream together well. Beat in eggs one at a time until blended. Mix in pumpkin.

In another bowl combine all seven remaining ingredients. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Pour all at once over batter. Stir just enough to moisten. Turn into greased 9x5x3" loaf pan. Bake in 350°F oven for 60-70 minutes until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan. Remove to rack to finish cooling.

~ Charmin