For those of you who have been making this pumpkin bread for the last 30-some-odd years or have discovered it in my book "Ancestral Cooking" there are some necessary changes. I started this using Comstock's Pumpkin Pie Filling (2 cups per can). Unfortunately Comstock stopped making it. I now use Libby's Pumpkin Pie mix (30 oz: 3 cups per can). This has required beefing up the spices as well as the number of coffee cans (9) in the cupboard.
I now make 3 batches at once, thereby using all of the pumpkin for one 30 ounce can.
Make 3 - 3 loaf batches in 3 different bowls at the same time - 9 coffee cans.
The new recipe for each 3 loaf batch is as follows:
Pre-heat oven to 350 F
3 - 1 pound coffee cans, greased with corn oil or spray.
3 cups white granulated or organic granulated sugar
1 heaping teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 heaping teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup corn oil
4 eggs
1 cup Libby's Pumpkin Pie Mix (1/3 of the can)
2/3 cup water
3 cups unbleached, unbromated all-purpose flour.
Mix the dry ingredients together, except the flour.
Add the wet ingredients. Mix well with an electric beater.
Mix in flour.
Fill coffee cans 2/3 full.
If you add raisins, flour them first so that they do not sink.
Bake for 1 hour in a 350 F oven - on the middle rack of the oven.
Let them cool on a rack. When you want to remove them from the cans put each can on a burner to melt the bottom of the loaf inside the can. Turn it upside down and shake to gently release it. Leave on a rack to harden the outsides of the loaves before bagging.
